What Was Once Lost and Forgotten
by AriaGinevra
Summary: Slight AU. Timetravel. When seventeen-year-old Emma Swan unexpectedly goes from sleeping to drowning in a minute everything in her life changes. When she is saved by a lieutenant and starts to fall in love with him, she decides to stay there. She stayed there for seventeen years until Rumplestiltskin separates them and curses them to forget. Starting from We Are Both.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: There's something strange about Emma**

Ever since Emma Swan once entered Storybrooke with her son that she put into a closed adoption ten years ago, she knew everything was going to change. Ever since that night she arrived in Storybrooke she started to get hazy dreams, dreams that she would wish for to come true. Then when she saved Henry with True Love's kiss, things turned out to be blurry. No longer were her dreams hazy in a myriad of colors, they held some distinction for only a few seconds, but it was still blurry nonetheless. When she awoke the town everyone now held two parts of their memories of who they were, are. Now she knows that Storybrooke is truly a different town that exists that she ever knew about.

Storybrooke is a town where all the mythical legends, folklore, and fairy tales that you ever knew lived in this town, well most of them do. After saving the Evil Queen, who goes by Regina is also Henry's mom from being sucked into a wraith, she fell into the magical hat from the Mad Hatter, that turns out to be a portal alongside with her mother, who turns out to be Snow White in tow. Everything in her life had changed. Things are now overwhelming, she doesn't know how more she can take with more surprises that are coming left and right. She passes out unconscious and is being pulled into darkness, into a dream.

 _Young Emma Swan is seventeen years old is sleeping one minute and the next minute she's drowning in the ocean. She was shocked to say least of what has happened. She doesn't where she is or time when she gets pulled out of the ocean from a cute sailor who turns out to be a Lieutenant. She opens her eyes taking in with whom her rescuer is. Upon inspection from looking at him from top to bottom, he is gorgeous. With his boyish grin of a smile with dazzling deep blue eyes and the messy hair, he is cute._

 _Instantly Emma blushes. Stop thinking about him Emma, she tells herself. Stop thinking about him. Sure, he is cute and handsome who also happens to save your life. Please don't let this be a dream she thought. Don't let this moment end. With wishing and hoping that this is real, and she knows it's real but can't distinguish the reality of the situation of how is this possible. She sighs. With gaze still looking at the handsome man who seems to be a few years older than her, she realized she hadn't said or muttered a single word. You have to say something Emma, anything. Just stop blushing and say something! "Thank you for saving my life, umm?"_

 _He grins again adorably, blushing as well as Emma did just a few moments ago. Then as he is about to say his name._

Emma was pulled out of darkness. She wakes up and the dream was gone. She was curious about her dream that is when she gets pulled back to reality as she takes in the setting.

As she woke up alongside with her mother, she looks frantically out to where exactly is she. With her mother now stirring up maybe they can get some answers. That is when Emma notices two other figures looming out in front of them, one of them is a female warrior that oddly reminds her from the Disney movie, Mulan while the other woman or princess, she does look like a princess with the tiara laying upon her head wearing a purple dress are sending murderous glances towards her and Mary Margaret, her mom, Snow White.

"Hello" Emma starts. "Can you tell us where we are and who you are? I'm Emma Swan and this is uhm my mom Mary Margaret or Snow White." She says not knowing what to say when it comes to her mom. She is still overwhelmed by that.

The female warrior looks suspiciously at her, not knowing who if she and this other woman next to her could be trusted. "I'm Mulan and this is Aurora and you're in the Enchanted Forest," Mulan says in a monotone voice. Then in a swift like a way of her movements she binds them together. Then pulls them apart and starts walking to the Safe Haven.

"What happened to the Enchanted Forest? I thought it was destroyed when the curse hit." Snow White said curiously.

"When the curse was coming for some odd reason it didn't hit the area I was in with the other civilians. When the curse came we were all protected, like there was a bubble and it moves just passed out around our heads. Everyone was stuck there for who knows how long until the curse was weakening and when that was happening the ogres came back to the lands. We are heading to that land that we call Safe Haven. Now no more questions and no more talking until we get there. Do you understand that?" Mulan says hoping they're satisfied as she stomps away.

Then the quiet builds on as the four of them go to Safe Haven.

Once they have reached Safe Haven, one foot in Emma and Mary Margaret tried to escape. Well, Mary Margaret had an idea and went for it telling her daughter to run and ends up unconscious. The guards send them to the pit. Then Emma talks to the other prisoner there who turns out to be Regina's mother, Cora who turns out to be the Queen of hearts. Her moth- no Mary Margaret starts to wake up and instantly protect her.

Can't her life get any more surprising she thought? Probably this is the best time to believe that everything that's going in her life currently, she should start believing everything that supposed to be not real is real. She can try but if she were to believe that then she needs to accept that her dreams are not really dreams. Okay, Emma, that's enough thinking for the day. So, stop thinking and start worrying how are you going back to Henry who lives in a whole different realm, back to Storybrooke. Then her and Mary Margaret were requested to an audience with the leader the voice says who also brought a climbing rope.

Once they were back on top, all be it for only a few seconds, Mary Margaret looked up at him and in an instant, she flashed to his open arms. She shouted Lancelot as he hugged back. Then Lancelot says that "if had he known they were the prisoners Mulan had brought back then he never would have locked them away, asking for their forgiveness." She provides it, while Emma questions, "Lancelot? Really?" Okay Emma really stops thinking, stop thinking, you promised yourself that you're done with thinking of the whole day. But seriously she wondered quickly how is this possible, how do these fairy tales, folklores have crossed over to other stories as she saw Mary Margaret greeting him back as an old friend. While Mary Margaret assures that he's an old friend and that they can trust him.

After the quick reunion of Mary Margaret and Lancelot, Lancelot led them to a table that's covered with food. When Emma takes a quick look of the food that plastered there, she starts to get a headache as one of the strange meats she saw looks at is strangely familiar as she naturally put a part of that into her plate. Emma shrugged off as if this was natural to her-which Lancelot explained that's chimera which has an acquired taste. He also explained that it's one-part lion, one-part serpent and one-part goat. When she took a bite of the chimera, it brought back a familiar sense of taste as if she had eaten a chimera before.

As Emma eats Snow White makes the plan to back home with Lancelot's help, before that as Snow White knew she had already mentioned this to Mulan she wanted to get a confirmation as to what happened to the land. Seemingly Mulan was telling the truth as Lancelot told quite a similar story but also adds a few more details in. When Snow White asks him if he can find a portal with them but tells them leaving the Enchanted Forest is not safe anymore especially since the ogres returned, as Mulan also told them as well.

"Wait are Ogres the kind of creatures where legend says that when you get killed from an ogre, the last thing you see is yourself dying in their eyes?" Emma unexpectedly says while another headache came in.

"Emma, how did you know that?" her mother asked, curious how she knew about ogres. But what's even stranger is that Emma ate a chimera, like she knew what it was. Then she turns to really look at her daughter as she puts a hand on her head. "Emma are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, it's only a headache." Emma says while her mother was still curious still she didn't push it further and looking at her daughter inquisitively like she's saying, 'are you sure'. "Really. It's nothing, Mary Margaret okay, I'm fine. It's just a headache."

When that was over, Mary Margaret decided to keep a close on eye on her daughter if this happens again. She will keep in track of Emma's bizarre nature towards the Enchanted Forest. Now how are they going to return home? "So, Lancelot, I think I may have found a way to get me and Emma back home to our loved ones. However, I won't voice about where we're going because I still don't trust being in the same vicinity as Cora, even though she's in the pit and that she may or may not still have her own magic."

"If that is your best bet to get back home then I will help. While I'm still not coming with you two, you can, however, take the best warrior we have here whom you've already met," as he brings out his hand towards Mulan beckoning her to come over, "she will you to safely get back to your castle." Lancelot says.

"Deal." Snow White says.

As the deal was made between Lancelot and Snow White, Mulan led Emma and Snow White towards a trunk with weapons inside. When the trunk was open Snow White instantly got a bow and arrow along with a sword on a belt. While Emma got her gun back and found another sword on a belt. When they were prepared with their weapons as they've chosen is attached to them. The three of them started to walk.

"So where are we going?" Emma says.

"Well, Emma do you want to see where you're from?" Snow says while Emma's eyes widened when she picked it up fast. "That's right we're going home. We're going to check if the wardrobe is still there, maybe we can go back to Storybrooke through that."

"Wait as in The Wardrobe. The Wardrobe that sent baby me to Maine. That Wardrobe?" Emma says unbelievably shocked.

"Yes Emma, that wardrobe."

Then the three of them makes headway towards their journey. As time drew on they made a designated spot that was a good spot to camp at. Then they went to find water and to find firewood to cut into. As the night comes and Snow starts to build a fire, she was grabbed from behind with a dagger at her throat with a voice that says" Don't move. Phillip is gone because of you." Snow then defended herself sending the mysterious women floored onto the grass. The mysterious woman turns out to be Aurora.

Then Snow leans over her, pinning Aurora down, and tells her to listen, asking if she thinks she doesn't know what it feels like to be separated from the people that she loves. She exclaims that what happened to Phillip was not her and Emma's fault, so she suggests to finds another way to channel her anger somewhere else. When Mulan sees this, she orders Mary Margaret not to talk to Aurora like that, pulling her off her friend. The elementary school teacher then exclaims that Aurora tried to kill her, and, as she helps the latter get to her feet, Mulan assures that she will deal with her. Then Emma shows up shouting to them, "if you won't solve this issue then I will shoot a warning shot with my gun here! I'm not kidding here okay unless you want the freaking giants to show up! Everyone clears on that! Okay."

But no more than a few seconds, the ogres found them. Seems that Ogres have good hearing, Emma thought, with or without a gunshot ringing off. Then Aurora and Mulan ran as fast as she could while Emma stayed there and fought with her knowing what she was doing, even though she doesn't even know how she remembers, maybe it's muscle memory as Emma fought the ogre with her mom helping her and killing the ogre by using her bow and arrow that's targeted at the eye killing it instantly.

Then feeling her mother's eyes on her knowing what she was about to ask she says, "Don't say anything." Emma starts catching her breath, "I don't how that happened, but it happened okay. I don't even know how to use the sword. Now let's just say its muscle memory okay." Then her mom nodded, agreeing with her, feeling too dazed herself of what just happened as they go together to find Mulan and Aurora.

When they've reunited with Mulan and Aurora, they've all agreed that since they were close Snow's kingdom, they would continue their journey to the castle. When they were all close to the castle, with the castle in the distance you can instantly tell there was damage, looking from afar. Then when they went into the castle with Snow being a natural leader as a queen, they all went in what was supposed to be Emma's room, her nursery. Inside the nursery, it looked a storm when inside of it, literally, and it was a room that is messy and disregarded. Then Snow was talking about the what-ifs, talking about Emma's supposed future, how her life could've been, and the funny thing now was that Emma could have thought of how her life would've been. While that was happening Mulan and Aurora both left the nursery, feeling and knowing this is a private moment for Snow and Emma. Then Emma could see it, in human flesh, how it would've been like to grow up in this room, being a princess, but she couldn't think about this anymore. Instead, she just says, "We have a family, in Storybrooke," Emma reminds her mother before saying that right now they need them to get back to them. "So, how do we get this to work?" Emma asks, gesturing towards the magical wardrobe.

"Well," as Mary Margaret begins to answer Emma's question, "we'll have to get it to the island first and then hope someone there has enough magic to make it work."

"How about if it doesn't work?" Emma asks.

"Then we'll cross that bridge if the situation comes up."

"So how are we going to get this out and then carry it?" Emma asks.

Then a familiar voice replies, "With the help of an old friend." Lancelot has entered the room, and Snow asks him what he's doing there. He explains that he heard about the ogre attack and had to make sure they were alright, and Snow wonders the whereabouts of Mulan and Aurora. Lancelot says that he sent them to find food, for tonight they'll set up camp and tomorrow they'll get back. "So, this is it," he adds, looking at the wardrobe. Snow says that it's the same one Emma went through allowing her to skip the curse, which Lancelot finds remarkable. The former princess further explains that Geppetto carved it out of an enchanted tree, but there's no magic left. Lancelot believes that there must be another way to recharge a portal so powerful, leading Mary Margaret to wonder why he's so interested. Even though Mary Margaret is now suspicious of her dear friend, Emma feels like ever since Lancelot came into the room, she can't but help that he's been acting superstitious. Emma knows that something is wrong, she can't help of what it is but as she thinks about it, she gets another freaking headache of the day.

That is until Lancelot says "Well, I just want you to be home with your husband... and son, Henry. They must miss you," he says. Snow quickly draws her sword and aims it at Lancelot, telling Emma to stay away from him for he is not who he says he is. Then everything clicks to Emma. "Cora..." Emma recalls, watching as Lancelot becomes enveloped by purple smoke and Cora stands where he once was, having used magic to disguise herself. Then Snow advances on the woman with her sword but Cora creates a bubble of purple magic from her hand and uses it to stop Snow and lift her, throwing her across the room, pinning her up against the wall. Emma tried to run to her mother's aid but Cora swishes one arm and is knocked off her feet. With Snow pinned on the wall and choking. Emma is stirring up, silently stands up and takes the place of what's going around her and makes a choice to help her mother, she takes out her gun and removes all the bullets, holding them in her palm, cracks open a bullet and pours gunpowder from the inside all over the base of the wardrobe. Then she got Cora's attention and puts her plan to action.

Emma exclaims that Cora will never meet Henry, rubbing a shard against the metal of her gun to create a spark which sets the gunpowder alight. "No!" Cora yells, discarding Snow; she uses magic to launch the fire in the form of a fireball at Emma; however, Mulan dives in and blocks the attack with her sword, returning it to the wardrobe and allowing it to keep on burning. With no where to go as Cora looks around, trying to think to what she's going to do with the wardrobe, she flees, leaving a purple smoke by. With the sparks still fuming Emma and Snow look at it and are thinking of what they are going to do now, Emma says "tomorrow." With her friend turned mother she nods her head as well, "we'd a long day, come on let's go to our camping site and sleep. We'll figure out everything tomorrow."


	2. Chapter 2: Who is Emma and Captain Hook?

**Chapter 2: Who is Emma and Captain Hook**

 _The first thing she sees is the familiar face from her last dream. He walks with her aboard the ship, The Jewel of The Realm. As they walked around the deck, the sailors were talking about their shared stories, at one story it was about the sailor and the ogre. Emma didn't know if she believed, but she kept listening. "Here's what I learned on how to deal with a troll, your best option if you have a bow and arrow and are really close to that huge creature, you'll have to kill it in the eyes. If you have a sword, you have to use your best instincts and I have it found helpful to aim at the feet trying to cut the feet first and then you can kill it."_

 _Another dream comes on, it was when Emma was on land, getting sea legs she swayed a little bit, still trying to get used on land after being on the Jewel of the Realm for a while at sea now. The lieutenant is always with her and they did some shopping, some browsing in the village. When they were done, they went back on the ship and down to the kitchen to eat. There Emma looked at the strange meal that was laid upon her and she saw people even eating the strange, disgusting, looking meat that she's ever seen in her life. "What is that?" she points towards the meal._

 _"That my dear, my lady" the lieutenant starts to say, "is a chimera_. _Basically, it's one-part lion, one-part serpent and one-part goat."_

 _"And they're eating it? "Emma says disgustedly in not just of thought but also of horror the men are eating it like they are enjoying it. She keeps staring at the food._

 _Then the captain came in and followed to where his brother, the lieutenant and his guest were at. He saw his guest looking at the chimera as if it was a threat and he looked to his brother and shook his head. He must do something, he realizes, he doesn't want his guest to starve while his men found a rare creature to eat. "You know there's a superstitious tale about a chimera and a woman eating one. You see miss, it's rare for a woman eating one because if one does like it, then you can tell that the woman is a very tough lass. While you Miss Swan are already a tough lady, this only shows if she is truly a tough lass."_

 _Then brother to brother looked at Emma Swan as she is thinking, she is considering eating it, whatever that thing is. While brother to brother looked at her as she started to move to grab a piece and then every sound that was everywhere around her starts to look at her and prepare for her reaction. She eats a piece, and everything becomes still, frozen, everyone was holding their breath. Until she opens her mouth and says, "it's surprisingly good." That was the only thing she said while everyone breathed an air of astonishment and realized that Emma Swan is truly a very tough lass._

 _Another dream ended as another began. The lieutenant appeared and said, "since you have decided you wanted to stay onboard the ship, then it's best for you to learn how to use the sword."_

 _"Really?"_

 _"Yes, Miss Swan really. We never know what's out there on the horizon and if we ever get into a fight with pirates and as much as I would like you to stay in the room." He stops, getting his hidden feelings checked out quickly to not ruin their special friendship. He continues "anything can happen, and it would be a relief if you know how to use the sword. Don't worry I'm not going to kill you, Miss Swan, I'm only going to teach you the basics really. That's all."_

 _Then pictures of learning how to use a sword came into mind, it was the most important pieces, that she learned at different times. Then another quick memory came up it was years later and was learning how to fight as the danger accumulated when this time is about to keep her family safe._

 _Another memory where she had her first kiss with the lieutenant then another kiss at a wedding, her wedding where they became man and wife. Then the last quick picture was her screaming and then hearing a cry._

Emma wakes up as she went hard poking from her mother, to let her know that it was her turn to take watch. Emma got up and for the next hours as she takes watch she goes back thinking about her weird dreams. Seriously what is going on with her?

Then when morning finally came, and everyone was awake they decided they were going back to the Safe Haven. When they went back Mulan senses that something is wrong. She points out that the guard tower is empty, explaining they always have someone guarding the entrance. She draws her sword and progresses carefully into the camp, telling the others, who are scared and confused, to stay close. As they enter the camp, they find destruction. A massacre has occurred. Everyone once living at the haven is dead amongst remains of destroyed buildings. The four women are horrified. A while later, the girls are examining the area, looking for possible survivors. Mulan is confused and states they were protected in the haven, questioning how the ogres found them. Snow notices something very interesting about the corpses, making her realize it wasn't the ogres that didn't kill the men. Cora did, as their hearts have been ripped out. Snow tells Mulan they have to stop her, but Mulan explains it's too late as she has killed them all. Snow then says they must stop her from doing this again. Emma suddenly notices some movement coming from underneath some of the corpses. Aurora helps the man out, who is revealed to be Killian Jones. He is acting terrified, so Snow assures him he's safe. Killian then thanks the women, panting heavily with "fear".

When Emma looks at him, a million things that went off as a light bulb turned on and off, it can't be possible she thought, her dreams are just that, dreams. They can't be real. But looking at this man he holds the same familiar face she has seen in her dreams and just last night she saw that they were close, as in very close, as in intimately close. She goes back and remembered that they're husband and wife, but it can't be real. That's impossible. She keeps chanting in her head that this is not real. She tries to forget it and to not say anything to him as she found her mouth opening as she is still looking towards him. "I'm sorry for staring at you Killian Jones-

"That's okay love, no need to be sorry when I'm a dashing pirate." Emma rolls her eyes, clearly, he is being very irritating already.

"Anyway, more to the point of what I am going to say. But you look familiar, have we met before?"

"I'm pretty sure I would have met a woman such as you before love. Yet at the same time love, you do look very familiar to someone whom I've don't remember at the time being." Then he experiences one of his first headaches. Who he this woman? He thought. Then they all moved to the table where they get him a glass of water.

While that happens Snow, looks on between Emma and Killian Jones. She is questioning about who is Killian Jones? He must be a legendary character, she has a gut feeling in her that. Not only does she have that feeling, but she could also feel and know that he is important to Emma. After just learning of Emma's interests in this man, she knows that something must have happened between them, whatever that is she is going to find out. She needs to know how her daughter Emma know about the Enchanted Forest and now him, an inhabitant of the Enchanted Forest. She is getting more questions and hopefully, before they get back to Storybrooke knowing some answers, well at least a few.

It seems that Princess Aurora got the task of getting a glass of water to the suspicious villager that claims to be a blacksmith and/or pirate. As she slowly does that, she can see the blonde talking to Mulan. Mulan and Emma are talking about Killian Jones. One is about the connection between Emma and the man in question. To which Emma doesn't have an answer for because honestly, she doesn't know if she can accept her dreams, well that, and the fact feeling a connection towards him that's been hidden underneath the surface, well to the surface she doesn't want to believe in anything that draws him to her. Then they question if he can be trusted if he's lying while Emma says "well I'm like a lie detector, so let's here his story about what the heck happened here first and if he is lying, I will threaten him to tell the truth. Okay." Mulan nodded her head, agreeing to the plan. "Just in case he is lying can we get a piece of rope?" Mulan looks at her as if asking why, but she doesn't ask, she just nods and goes to get a piece of rope and waits to see what happens next.

The man thanks them and then explains that fortune seems to have decided to show him a favor. Emma tells him that there's an island full of corpses and he's the only one to escape, so she asks how that happened, clearly suspicious. The man explains that Cora attacked at night and slaughtered everyone in one fair swoop. He explains that when she started to rip out people's hearts, he hid under the bodies of those who'd already been killed and pretended to be dead himself. "So much for fortune favoring the brave" Emma states, but Killian defends himself by saying it was the only way he could survive. Emma leans closely to Killian and then gently tells him "I know that you're lying. So we have two options here Killian Jones," she says strictly and tense, " one you can just tell upright about what really and who you are, or two I could threaten you about your past, because I know some of your past buddy which I'm pretty sure you don't want anyone to find out and while that happens I'm going tie you up to a tree giving you to the ogres. So, what is it going to be Killian Jones?"

There was no answer, everything was silent. So, Emma goes to Mulan to get the rope and then got the man up and walked towards a tree. He still doesn't say a word so Emma ties him to the tree. Waits a few seconds just in case he changes his mind, then when she opens her mouth, he admits defeat. All that the man Killian Jones could think of is that the blonde woman bested him, a woman no less, that bested him pirate Captain Hook. Was he scared of her, he wasn't, however to him he is already enamored by her. Was it because of those dreams, that could be memories, that the woman in his dreams is the woman who just bested him are the one and the same. He does see some of their similarity in their features. However now he must tell them the truth about who he really is. "Good for you! You bested me", Killian hesitantly calls out to Emma. Snow asks him who he is, so he introduces himself as Killian Jones (however they already know that through Emma,) more commonly known as Hook. Both Snow and Emma recognize him. For confirmation, he tells them to check his bag… Snow then finds a silver hook.

He explains that Cora wanted him to gain their trust to learn about Storybrooke as she doesn't want any surprises when she goes there. Snow states Cora can't get there as the wardrobe is destroyed. Hook explains that the enchantment remains in the ashes, so she'll use them to make a portal. Emma asks why he wants to go to Storybrooke and why he should tag along with them. He offers to help the girls if they take him along. Snow wonders how he could help, so he tells them the ashes will open a portal, but they in order to find Storybrooke, a magical compass is needed. He offers to help them get it before Cora. Emma is tempted at his offer already agreeing to it while her mother Snow is skeptical. He tells them, girls, there's only one way to find out. Pointing a knife at Hook, Emma asks him one last question and tells him he hopes she believes his answer. She asks why he wants to go to Storybrooke, so he tells her he wants to seek revenge on the man who took his hand, Rumpelstiltskin.

Then as they released him from the tree, he guides them to their next destination. As they walk Emma and Mary Margaret talk. "Emma what is going on?" her mother asked.

"With what?"

"With Captain Hook, obviously. Did you know him?"

"Mary Margaret I'm still trying to find that out myself." Her mother looks at her like really what is going on. "I don't know Mary Margaret, I don't know. I'm confused about him and I don't know whether to admit the truth, I'm still trying to figure it out."

"Emma ever since we came to the Enchanted Forest you've been different. First, you ate chimera Emma, which I don't know how you can stomach that, and you ate it as it was nothing, like you've had it before. Then the ogre attack you used a sword properly and cut off the foot while I killed it with my bow and arrow. Now you know someone of here, Emma and that so happens to be Captain Hook. I mean Emma how do you know who Captain Hook is. He's not a good man Emma, he's a pirate, a pirate for centuries that's been known to scourge the high seas with a reputation. What I'm getting at Emma, is how do you know these things or people, it can't be possible since you lived in the world without magic. I'm worried about you Emma."

"Don't worry Mary Margaret I'm fine, I can take care of myself okay. I'll be fine. I'll be careful, there is no need to be worried about me Mary Margaret."

They then rejoin the group who have stopped, watching their destination. Emma suddenly sees it too and she is astonished.

"The compass is up there isn't it," Emma says. Hook confirms. The group all stare at a large beanstalk leading into the thick clouds in the sky.

Emma asks how they'll get to the compass, so Hook replies "It's not the climb you need to worry about...it's the giant at the top". Emma continues to head towards the beanstalk and Mulan follows shortly after, holding her sword at Hook, clearly not in trusting him. Snow then helps Aurora step over a log and then she follows soon after. Continuing their journey towards the beanstalk.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Oh, What's going on at the Beanstalk**

When the princesses, warrior, and pirate arrived towards the end of the Beanstalk, they all look up in awe, looking at the ever-endless beanstalk that goes past the clouds, taking in how tall it is, it would be quite an adventure.

"Alright ladies, which one of you are going to climb the beanstalk with me?" Captain Hook asks. Then the next thing you know the four of them are fighting on who will go on the beanstalk. Hook didn't expect that. He hopes they make the decision fast. Even though he asked with them whom who wants to go with him, he rather picks the blonde women. Hook wants to pick her for these reasons one, she bested him, two he wants to get to know her that follows to number three which is she looks very similar to the woman in his dreams that could possibly be memories. He wants to talk to her and see if she is that woman in his dreams. Plus, he is very interested in her, he feels a spark there in his heart that this woman called Emma would help him be back to the man that he once was, that his first love Milah tried to do. But then at times when tries to think back to Milah, he feels empty like it was all fake. When the curse was weakening, he would try to remember Milah, but he doesn't remember a memory from her and he is curious at that, why he still has the tattoo of Milah on his arm, and if this all ties to this blonde savior named Emma Swan. He not only wants to get know Emma Swan, but he also needs to.

While as he is thinking that, the fighting has not kept to an end. Mulan says that she'll go because she is best equipped to go on this mission. That she has been in enough of fights, wars, and all that however Snow White says that she has had her share. That is until Aurora says that she'll go because she has no loved ones to stay, that if she fails all of them can go.

Then Snow looks at her daughter about telling why Emma can't go because she is new to the Enchanted Forest and as of now, she holds her tongue knowing that will not work because Emma kind of is not exactly new to the Enchanted Forest. Emma could do it, she has proven herself that she can take care of herself using the weapons that were originally from here. Two days ago, when they arrived here shortly after they left Safe Haven Emma successfully used the sword quite well in the unexpected ogre attack. While she is confident using her bow and arrow, she does well in sword fighting however not as good as Emma did while combatting the giant. As Snow looks back at that she was impressed what Emma has done, she was impressed and felt pride going to her daughter. While she didn't say that to her own daughter while they're trying to sort these things out, she does admit in her mind and subconscious that Emma will be fine whether they were here or back at home. She trusts her daughter that she can take care of herself.

As the fighting dies down. Hook no longer astray from his thoughts, says "tick tock ladies, time is wasting." Before Emma goes toward Hook, she went to Mulan asking her if she has anything that could be helpful to use against the giant. She then moves away from the others incase someone will hear it, she then gets out a sack and informs Emma that inside of the sack is powder that's made from poppies and if she was going to use it, then it must be used when the giant inhales it, indicating how powerful the powder is. Then Emma asks Mulan if she has anything that is strong enough to cut the beanstalk. She nods her head, knowing what she is thinking about agreeing to her unannounced plan. "If I'm not back in ten hours, cut it and keep going, don't wait for me okay." Mulan nods agreeing to the plan, she liked it because in her head she believes that when you plan something that could be dangerous then you need a contingency plan, a backup plan, not knowing what is going to happen. It's a smart plan and is starting to like Emma as an acquaintance or who knows maybe a friend.

Then Emma goes back to Hook, where there he took out a large wristband. Before she can ask him what this large wristband is, he explains that it's a counter spell for when they climb the beanstalk, it won't set out an alarm that a human is climbing. As he does that, they both feel a slight spark, even though they've barely touched each other, they feel something already. "I can't climb one-handed, can I?", he asks them, Emma then retrieves the hook from Mulan's satchel and hands it to Killian accepting the hook, placing it where his left hand should be. Emma looks out to her mother where Mulan and Aurora stand around her, then gives her mother a quick nod where she nods back with confidence and worried, choosing to not place any doubts about Emma's return. Then they start to climb the beanstalk.

As they climbed fairly up until the beanstalk was no longer close to the ground where Emma's mother and her acquaintances are, she feels safe to talk to Hook now. As she thinks of what she is going to say, however, he beat up her up to it as he starts to talk to her, to the mysterious woman. "First beanstalk?", he asks, "Well, you never forget your first. However, I'm sure that this isn't your first adventure."

"Of course, you would know because in some other world you would know everything about me." Emma says sarcastically without knowing what she was saying, as she is questioning why she said that even though it came off naturally with this old Emma. The Emma that she knows before even having these dreams, where she put barriers in to protect herself from getting close to anybody. Ever since she came here to the Enchanted Forest everything that she knew about changed. For the better or for worse, she doesn't know yet however she believes within deep down inside of her that it's for the better.

"You're confused, love." Captain Hook starts to say then Emma snaps at her head towards him, already admitting what he is going to say. That little statement hit her hard because it's the truth. "You don't want to admit what your dreams could be memories because you're scared and confused of the life you once have. They were good dreams, they were good memories. You don't know how they mean to you because it was a very different life than you originally had. You don't want to admit that the dreams that you're having are good and you are wondering if this was all true then why would I leave that life."

As Emma Swan climbs the beanstalk while hearing Killian Jones words, it struck her hard. How did he do that? How did he know that? He was breaking her barriers so easily that she begun to cry, because of what he is saying rings true in every way. It hit her home every time. She doesn't say anything to him, only giving him silence while she cries silently. Her tears so quiet that he doesn't know that she's crying it wasn't until he sees her face. Her not so puffy face with eyes a little moist from the crying, as he sees her tears going down on her face. Due to her state, he doesn't say anything, he decides to wait for her to answer.

As Emma sniffs, she finds herself ready to ask him one question. "How did you know exactly to say about me?"

"I can tell that you're an open book to me, love. It's not because that we just met only hours ago but also from what I can tell from my dreams."

"And what can you tell of what you know about me?"

"I can tell that you have a fear of having any of you children to be abandoned because you were abandoned from your birth parents. It's not because of what you've told me. You've also that look in your eyes that you're an orphan. I've spent many years in Neverland, home to the lost boys, and the one thing they all have in common are their eyes, the look you get when they're alone."

"Neverland?" Emma said when she gets an unexpected headache. When a flashback appears for only a couple of seconds.

 _Emma is at the house alone. She is cleaning into the night before she goes to bed however, she hears an unexpected knock at the door. When she goes to the door and opens it, she finds her husband drenched in the rain. "Killian are you okay? What's going on?"_

 _Killian stands there in between the door and the outside before coming inside, closing the door quickly. "Liam is gone. Liam is dead. I'm the captain now. We have to leave Emma."_

 _"Leave? Why do we have to leave?"_

 _"I don't want anything to happen to you Emma. I fear the king knew what he was doing when he sent Liam and I to Neverland to retrieve Dreamshade, a plant that's supposed to be a medicinal which is really a poison. Liam is gone because of him and I fear he knew what he was doing. I'm pretty sure he knew what he was doing and if he can get rid of Liam, then I'm afraid of what will happen to you and our unborn child."_

 _"Okay, but when we get on the ship, you are going to tell me exactly what happened at Neverland." He nods as they get Emma's clothing very fast before they left the house and went to the docks._

Emma gasps for a second, not knowing what was going on. She looks towards Killian, whose face is filled with worry, fearing that she was going to fall, not knowing what just happened to Emma. "Love, are you okay." He said.

"I'm fine. I think I got a flashback or a vision or something. When you mentioned Neverland, I got a headache and then I saw a memory or something."

"What did you see?"

"I saw you, us. You came home and told me that we must leave because you feared the king was planning to do something to me. You said that you went to Neverland to retrieve a medicinal plant called Dreamshade and when you got there you've found out it was poison and that it killed your brother, Liam. Is it true?"

As Killian hears of what Emma said, he felt sad pulling in with grief as he remembers the day when Liam died twice. Once supposedly in Neverland but he cured him if only for a short while and then when they've left Neverland and back to their realm, he remembers Liam collapsing again talking to him in his last breath. He remembers that day so vividly, that it never left him. He felt grief for his brother again but also got some understanding of what his brother said to him. For hundreds of years he was always confused of what his brother told him in his last breath and today he now understands what they mean.

 _Liam collapses down as he and his crew reached to their realm on the crashing sound of the waves of the ocean. Killian seeing this kneels to him as Liam is shakily breathing in heaps. "Killian, my brother…I am…proud of you…take care of your…. family… I love you my…little brother. Take care." Then he closes his eyes with his breathing no longer shaking, his chest no longer heaving, then Killian's voice is in the background of the room. He is in shock. He doesn't want to believe that his only brother, the only one who was family, is gone. He felt alone. But then he said to take care of his family, he's not alone. He has Emma and their little bundle of joy that will coming in over a couple of months' times. With that, he formulates a plan, with what is now his life. He's captain of the Jewel of the Realm now, he can make changes whether out in the time it would be for the good or will it be for the worse._

He shakily chokes up before responding to Emma. "Aye, it's true." Then they've resumed their climbing silently as they can be to get the compass at the top of the beanstalk wherein the giant lives.

After some moments later, they've reached the end of the beanstalk.


	4. Chapter 4: Fair Play, Indeed

**Chapter 4: I'm Sorry**

 **Hi Everyone while this is my Author's Note, as I'm still getting used to fanfiction itself, I'm going to make changes which will be next chapter. Though for this purpose I'm so very sorry for the convenience of the title problem. This is the irony at the moment, at least for me it is. I've just noticed the typo that I've made, in regards to this name of the chapter. So I'm working on the next chapter at the moment, I've seemed to put the wrong title in place I'm Sorry is the true title for Chapter four while the workings of Chapter five: Fair Play, Indeed is currently in progress. With this problem at hand, I'll probably put the name of the true title in its original format before starting the story while I leave the chapter numbers. Sorry for the Slip-on/spoiler.**

 **While I've you guys here at the moment if you have any questions regards to the story in progress of it, I will accept them. I've been thinking this for a while and I've decided that if you want to how things will come on during the story, if you're curious, if you have a theory, if you want to know some spoiler about what will be happening, I'll be glad to share little snippets that if you guys are willing to do that. Don't be afraid to ask, I feel comfortable to do this. Leave them in the comments and I will post it, at the beginning before the next chapter begins. Now I present you to Chapter four I'm Sorry.**

* * *

When they've reached the Beanstalk, high above the clouds, was where the giants lived or at least only one who lives there. There was the giant's castle, where they saw of what's left of it. There were ruins there, that's haven't been cleaned ever since the last battle took place. Then Hook sees Emma's hand.

"Let me see your hand, love?" he asks.

"Why would you want to see my hand?" Emma says curiously as to what will happen between the two of them.

"You've got a cut on your hand, lass."

"Oh, I didn't notice it until now."

Then he holds her wrist, taking care of her hand, by retrieving a flask from his possessions and biting off the lid, pours some of the contents on Emma's cut as she cries out in pain, asking him what it is, "It's rum, and I bloody wasted it. Not that I'm all complaining my lady, it was also worth it.", he tells her, inspecting her cut before removing a scarf and wrapping it around the wound by using his mouth.

As he does this, Emma is, oh Emma stop looking at him. He may be a pirate, he may be your husband, but stop thinking to kiss him. Her mind starts going into a barrier, protective mode. As she watches him by putting a scarf on her hand, which he is doing rather sensually, sexually, all she wanted to do was kiss him. As she feels contact between her hand and his mouth on it, her thoughts go stir crazy. If one of the things that she'd learned as they were climbing on the beanstalk was that, her dreams could really be memories, as she remembers the flashback and getting his confirmation that it was true. It was unbelievable, impossible. Then she sees his eyes and she couldn't take it anymore as he tears part of the scarf off. They were close, she wants to kiss but sounds of the castle shattered it when reality comes pitching in rapidly.

Hook then says his plan, "we wait for the giant to fall asleep when he does, we're going to sneak past him and go into the cave where the treasures are, and the compass lies. And then we run like hell.", he replies. Emma then tells him that "we don't have time to wait for a giant to fall asleep," saying that they must use the powder Mulan gave her to knock him out. He says it's riskier, but Emma points out that it's not as risky as waiting for a giant to fall asleep when they need him to do so, he agrees.

At the entrance of the giant's castle, they've started to prepare for Emma's plan to unfold. Hook picks up a large bone and looks up to Emma who is standing on the shoulder of a large statue of a soldier, he asks her if she's ready and she gives him the thumbs up, Hook then takes the bone and walks behind a giant shield, he bangs on the metal with the bone a couple of times, making quite a racket as he does so. A growl is heard followed by several rumbles as the giant makes his way out of the large castle doors, Emma steadies herself against the head of the statue as the giant finally emerges from the doors, at seeing the size of him, Emma mutters, "Oh, damn it.", and the giant continues to look forward. "Oi! Hey! You big git!", Hook cries, making himself appear to the giant, he taunts him with the idea of killing a human, calling himself the worst human around. Once the giant is good and distracted, Hook runs around to the foot of the statue, as the giant bends down to grab him, Emma throws the sack of powder in his face, making him growl and fall on the floor unconscious. Emma calls out for Hook who emerges from beneath the giant, telling Emma that he's out cold, "Looks like we make quite a good team", he points out, Emma shrugs this off with the task at hand - "Let's go steal a compass.".

As Emma and Hook walk through the halls of the giant's castle, they've made it to the giant's treasury room that is filled with various, enormous, valuable objects. Hook seems distracted by the treasure and picks up a coin to sniff it, Emma tells him that they should get to it, to the compass, and Hook asks her what her rush is. Emma asks the captain how long he thinks magic knock-out powder lasts, Hook admits he has no clue - "That's my rush.", Emma tells him. Hook says that she's right and walks ahead, saying that everything they need is right in front of them. Emma watches as Hook walks away, the shot moves around her head.

Amongst through the treasures, Emma asks how they're supposed to find a compass there when there's so much, Hook tells her that they'll do so by looking, before suggesting she start searching. "I wonder how much treasure we could carry down the beanstalk?", Hook wonders, Emma glares at him, "In addition to the compass, of course.", he adds. Emma becomes shocked when they come across a skeleton on the floor with a sword in his hand, he's clearly been there a while, Hook tells her that it's the remains of Jack, the giant-killer. Emma notes how small the sword is if you compare it to the giant, but Hook assures her that it packs quite a wallop when used. Hook steps backward but Emma grabs him by the front of the shirt, pulling him towards her, Hook tells her that it's about time, thinking she was going to kiss him. However, Emma wriggles free of him pointing out that he was about to walk through the tripwire, pointing up at the cage above, telling him that there's quite a big security system. Hook tells her that it's a nice excuse for grabbing her, but Emma stops him by saying they should just find the compass and go home. Hook points out the way, "After you.", Emma says, Hook then steps over the tripwire and Emma follows on.

Still, in the treasury room, Hook and Emma are still in there looking for the compass. While Hook is still looking out for the compass and looking at all the treasures he asks for a boost and when Emma finally relented to do so a few minutes later, the sounds of rubble coming afar was now heard to them. As the sounds of the rumble gets louder and closer to the treasury room, the treasure that was once in neat piles started to crumble down, then Hook tells Emma that she should get under something and the two of them begin to run, however, the giant has already arrived and given one final jump down the stairs, shaking the entire treasury heavily. The giant sees them and runs for them, making more tremors, causing a pile of boulders to fall from the ceiling and land on top of Hook, Emma becomes unaware of his fate as the giant runs closer, she panics and stays completely still, looking up at the nearing giant, soon, it stands before her and moves its hand towards the blonde.

Emma has been lifted by the giant and is being crushed within his palm, she cries out in pain. She tries to wriggle free but it's no use, she screams at the giant, telling him that she's not what he thinks. He tells her that she's a thief and she poisoned him so he's pretty sure she's exactly what he thinks. Emma exclaims that she needs a magic compass, but the giant tightens his grip, telling the blonde that he doesn't care what she needs. "No, it's for my son! To save my son! Don't you have a family?!", Emma tries as she's squeezed harder, she smacks at the giant's thumb. He says that he doesn't have a family as the humans killed them all, he squeezes tighter and tighter and Emma attempts to cry out, her vision is seen to be becoming blurrier. Emma lifts her head and bites down hard on the giant's hand, he cries out in pain and drops Emma, she falls onto his lap and rolls off, landing on his shoe before the floor. She stands up and begins to run, an enraged giant begins to chase her, causing earthquakes with every step he takes, knocking down mountains of treasure. Emma continues to run and proceeds to collect Jack's sword from her skeleton hand. Emma turns to face the giant, sword in hand, as it continues to walk towards her, at the right moment, Emma slices the sword through the air, chopping through the tripwire as she does so. The cage on the ceiling tumbles down, landing on the giant, trapping him beneath it. Emma runs over to his head and points a sword towards his eye, telling him he has a nice, efficient security system. Emma advances the sword and the giant becomes scared, Emma says that she can tell by his face that he knows what the sword is, supposing it's dipped in some sort of poison. "You have a compass. I need it.", Emma tells him, keeping the poisonous sword firmly aimed. The giant says that Emma will kill him either way and tells her that she may as well just go ahead and do it now. Emma points out that he doesn't know her, but he mentions that he knows her kind, telling her that they massacred the giants and destroyed their beans.

Emma tells him that she heard it the other way, "That's because the victors get to tell the story.", he informs her. Emma lunges the sword towards him but doesn't touch him, he flinches and asks her to stop, throwing her the magic compass with his hand through the bottom of the contraption. Emma walks over to the compass and picks it up, the giant points out at that moment that he's not the bad guy. Emma walks back over to the giant's eye, compass in hand, she aims the sword for him once more before lowering it, "Maybe you are telling the truth. It doesn't really matter. Are there any more of you?", Emma asks, "No.", he tells her, "I'm alone.". Emma lowers her sword before noticing the giant's necklace sticking out of the cage, she asks if it's a bean, wondering if it could be used to make a portal, the giant tells her that it can't anymore, saying that it was destroyed with the rest of them and that he wears it to remind himself how awful humans are, how they're all killers. Emma is insulted and once again points the sword towards the giant's eye, "You're wrong.", she assures him, beginning to walk away. The giant roars and stands up, lifting the cage straight off of his back with ease, Emma is shocked and aims the sword upward at the giant, scared, however, as he reaches down, he takes a rock wedging a hole in the wall and throws it at a pile of treasure, causing it to collapse, the hole is seen to be a tunnel out. He tells her to go and she wonders why "Because you could've killed me... and you didn't. You get one favor, now go, before I change my mind. Emma begins to walk into the tunnel but stops, she turns to the giant, telling him that she actually gets two favors, he is confused and she goes on to say that she could have killed him twice, both when he was in the cage and when she knocked him out with the powder made from poppies - she didn't though. The giant asks her what she wants. Emma now thinks of what she wants quickly, her mind turning of what she's going to do.

Emma pulls out Hook out through the rubble of boulders that was crushing him, as she does that Hook tells her that she was brilliant. He requests to see the compass, but Emma is hesitant but takes the object from her pocket and presents it to him, keeping her own grip. Hook describes it as more beautiful as the legend, he goes to touch it, but Emma withdraws it, placing it back into her pocket. Hook offers out his hand, saying they should go, however, when Emma takes his hand, she places a handcuff around it. He asks her what she's doing, and before she steps back, she leans to Hook, looking into his familiar eyes of the ocean blue eyes that he has. She keeps leaning in toward him, and when Hook found out of what she was doing, she kissed him then he kissed back. Then she breaks it off, looks back toward his eyes, his face as if she's trying to remember something. Memories come up of some them kissing. Emma ignores them then she says, "I'm sorry.". Then she leaves the room, hearing the voice of one Killian Jones, Captain Hook behind her, knowing what she was doing. She believes that it was for the best, but she also knew she regretted leaving him behind for only a couple of hours, albeit six hours.

When Emma left all that Hook's reaction was some rage and confused by her actions. He didn't understand of why she did of what she just did to him. While the climb on the beanstalk showed him some things of who is Emma Swan, he does know one thing, that she is the woman from her his dreams. He understands her and while he's a little bit angry at her, he surprisingly forgives her. He knows of her character of who she is, he thinks about it a little bit, and believes that she regretted doing this to him, he surmounts.

As Emma goes down the beanstalk as fast as she can go, she realizes that she's falling in love with him, however, that's not the reason why she left him there. It wasn't because of her barriers. It was what he said when climbing upon the beanstalk together, it was when he made her cry although he didn't acknowledge that until she was silently crying when he looked upon her face. It was his words that made her do it, she was scared to admit the truth. She was scared that everything in her dreams and visions and whatever the things that she was getting, was true. If it was all true, would she feel guilt, regret, of all the things that have had happened?

When she gets closer and closer to the ground of the beanstalk, she felt a blow that was hitting the beanstalk, knowing the promise she made to Mulan, she goes down faster as she goes and jumps off the beanstalk yelling stop. The fight ceases between Mulan and Snow. Then Snow runs to her daughter, relieved at her safety. Snow asks if she's okay and Emma says that after multiple earthquakes and a jump from a beanstalk, she thinks her brain's still rattling around a little. Mulan says that she did what Emma ordered and nothing more than that, asking the blonde if she got the compass. Emma confirms it, showing them the object. Aurora asks the whereabouts of Hook and Emma tells her that he's detained and that they have a few hours left before he follows them, most likely already on the beanstalk, so they should probably get a move on now. Snow pulls Emma aside, asking her if she really told Mulan to cut the stalk down, Emma confirms it, "We go back together! That is the only way! Do you understand?!", Snow asks, Emma nods, hugging her mother. "Good. Let's go get that dust from Cora.", Snow says, "Yeah, and go home.", Emma adds.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Fair Play, Indeed**

 **Author's note.**

 **Hey, everyone, I'm going to answer the two questions that I've received from the last chapter.**

 **First, from Rosiecharlie, she asked from the first chapter, she wondered if** **Killian is Henry's father or do they have a child that they have forgotten about. My response to that is to keep on reading the story and find out for yourself. I hope my answer is enough.**

 **Then my second and last question from the last chapter is from Emilee Amethyst, who asked Did they kiss? Or was that just the memory? My response to your question is yes, they did kiss. If it's a memory that is long it will be italicized to indicate those are memories from the past.**

 **Now you may enjoy Chapter 5: Fairy Play, Indeed**

Hours later, when it has already come to nightfall after they've walked through a fair bit of walking that was far away of the beanstalk, they've settled down to make a campsite. When everything was complete, sometime later, Emma talks to her best friend, no mother, Mary Margaret telling her how she was doing. They talked a little bit in the dark for some time until Aurora wakes up and calls to Snow. When Snow crouches down to Aurora, and Emma standing behind her mother, Aurora telling Snow of her nightmare that she knows about explained that something was different than the other ones. She explained that there was something down in there with her, it was a young boy who talked to her and put the fire out. When Emma was hearing this, she crouched down and continued to listen to Aurora. "He said that his name was Henry." Then Emma and Mary Margaret looked to each other in surprise, completely stunned by the news.

After that, for once they have hope and a plan. It was discussed that due to Aurora's and Henry's connection to the Netherworld, which means that knowing they could see each other when they sleep, Emma and Mary Margaret could send information to Aurora when asleep to Henry to notify that not only are they okay, they could also get any leads from home through Aurora. They could get help from the outside of the Enchanted Forest. Everybody liked the plan especially for Aurora because for once ever since she woken up from the curse and having Phillip being sucked from the wraith, for the first time after those events that had happened, she is finally useful for something. She can finally help someone, she has some purpose in this world still. When Mulan found out about the news, she wasn't exactly enthralled with the news because of the consequences it had, found by the burn that's on Aurora's arm.

With the plan in place, they left for Aurora to go back to sleep. Shortly after she falls into the Netherworld, the three of them heard the sound of a twig snapping. They all stood still like the sound of the twigs continue snapping, whilst Aurora who is still sleeping moves around indicating that she's in the Netherworld. Then the next thing that happens is Mulan is waking Aurora up so that they all of them can leave as the unexpected attack of the zombies began. As Mulan does that, mother and daughter are already fighting with the zombies. Though one zombie dives to one of its attackers, Emma notices that they're here to get the compass, meaning that Cora did this to get the compass back. Amid the fighting, when Mulan and Aurora run as fast as they can Aurora trip while one of the dead men gets here while another gets ahold of Mulan however while she got out, Aurora didn't. It was then when Mulan gets out that she notices that Aurora is kidnapped.

As the trio are now trekking through the forest, awhile later, a raven comes and sits on Snow's shoulder. Shocking Emma in the process, as the raven crowed, Snow listens to what the raven said. "Cora...We have until sundown to give her the compass, if we don't, she'll kill Aurora". Emma pulls out the compass and then Mulan demands she give it to her. Emma asks Mulan for a moment to consider, but the warrior states there's nothing to consider as a compass is not worth Aurora's life. Snow calmly says that they need a plan to save Aurora and keep the compass. Mulan claims that her vow to Prince Phillip was to protect Aurora, and that is all that remains of him, so it shall be done. She attempts to grab the compass of Emma, but Emma pulls back, claiming she had to go up a beanstalk for it, so Mulan can get her own. Before a fight can break out, Snow stops them both and then asks Mulan to give them a few hours, claiming if they haven't defeated Cora by then, she can have the compass. Mulan states that they can't defeat her as they no longer have access to the Dark One's assistance. Snow says they do, so Mulan asks how claiming Aurora is gone. Snow points out that Aurora isn't the only one to go under a sleeping curse and then she says she can go back to the netherworld. Mulan reminds Snow that she said the door to the netherworld is closed for her, but Snow supposes there could be a way for her to go into a deep slumber. Snow assures all they need to do is to find a way to go into a deep enough sleep where her natural defenses slip away, and her mind stops protecting her. Emma asks how, so Snow suggests Mulan's sleeping powder. Mulan claims to have used the last on the Giant, so Snow tells her to make some more. A reluctant Mulan explains that the poppy plant is extremely rare, but she knows of a place that may grow some more and it's a bit of a journey away. Snow asks if they can make it by sundown, Mulan nods and then says they must hurry before they all set off walking.

When the three of them made it to the Woods of the Dead, Mulan pulls out her dagger from its sheath and explains that she will crush the seeds using the dagger. She tells her fellow companions that they're doing it the old-fashioned way. Emma and Snow then watch as Mulan cuts the poppy with her dagger and proceeds to crush the seeds. Then Snow decides to get comfortable as she sits down with the tree at her back and placing a cardigan over her while Mulan is grinding the seeds of the poppy with her dagger. Not long later Mulan says that it is ready. As she walks toward them, she mentioned that she'll only be out for an hour, most likely, or less, she doesn't really know. She brought it close to Snow close to her face, blowing the powder in her face, and when Snow inhaled it, she falls asleep right away.

When Snow wakes up, she jumps up worried hyperventilating. She said in her rasp of breath, that Henry wasn't there but her husband, David and with a quick revelation she learned that he's in the curse himself. Making herself wanting to go back to Storybrooke right away so that she can kiss him with true love's kiss. Then she takes a breath, as she digested that down, she did tell Emma that she knows what to do. She indicated they must go to the cell where Rumpelstiltskin stayed at. However, when Emma looks around trying to see where Mulan is, she found the compass gone, and well now she and her mom must catch up to Mulan now, to get the freaking compass back.

As mother and daughter ran with Snow leading the way, as she is an expert in tracking in the woods. Due to that, they've reached to Mulan fast while Snow gave a warning shot, indicating their presence. Then Snow pinned Mulan underneath her with an arrow right above her neck, Snow demanding to have the compass and talking about another plan at which Mulan gets frustrated at because it's another journey that's going to be wasted. With Snow mad at Mulan, she was about to end her life if it weren't for the shout of a stop from Aurora, it would've happened but since Aurora is now here, she explains of what happened to her. Though surprising of what she said about Hook, Emma accepts the answer. Then with the four acquainted once again, they all head to Rumpelstiltskin's cell.

Once they've arrived there, the four of them ignited the torches first before walking into the cell. Before Snow goes to investigate the cell, she reminisces the last time she was there in the cave talking to Rumpelstiltskin about the incoming curse and learning that her daughter will become the savior. She told Emma about it and as that when away they went to the cell to search for the ink. While Aurora finds a parchment filled with Emma's name continuously going on from top of the page until the parchment reaches its ends to the bottom of the page. Aurora gave it to Emma while Emma herself holds the parchment herself thinking that this is one of the creepiest/freakiest things that she'd ever seen of her life. Then Mulan founds an empty ink bottle, so Rumpelstiltskin did have ink in there and used it up it write Emma's name continuously for who knows what. Though Snow speculated that he wrote her name because he was obsessed with her to breaking the curse. While Snow talked to Emma, Aurora suddenly got the empty bottle and throws it to a nearby a mechanism which left the cell bars to drop from the ceiling and raise the floor, leaving the four of them suddenly trapped.

Then a cold voice said, "helping me." It was clear to the four of them who she was, Cora standing outside the cell with Hook near her. Cora then holds out her hand and the compass disappears from Emma and appears in Cora's clutches. Emma shakes the cell bars, trying desperately to escape, Cora advises her not to waste her energy, reminding her that Rumpelstiltskin himself could not escape the cell. Cora thanks Aurora, telling her that she could not have done it without her. Snow and Emma are shocked, asking Aurora how she could do such a thing. "Don't blame her. She was only doing what she was told," Cora says, taking out Aurora's glowing heart. The girls are stunned. Cora tightens her grip on the girl's heart and Aurora screams in pain, Mulan rushes to her aid and the pain stops once Cora relinquishes. The mad sorceress tells them that Storybrooke awaits before turning around to leave, beckoning Hook also, however, the captain approaches the cell to talk to Emma once she requests it. "Please, don't do this. My son is in Storybrooke, he needs me," Emma pleads.

"If you hadn't abandoned me on the beanstalk, this wouldn't happen love." Hook stated.

"Come on, Hook! You should at least be grateful that I wouldn't let you stay up there for too long, I could've left you there for ten hours. I thought about it and I could've told the giant that however I only left you for only six hours. You can't still be mad at me now because of that, right?

"Surprisingly no Swan because I already forgive you." Emma was shocked, she didn't think she earned that, didn't think that he Captain Hook, Killian Jones would forgive her. Though as the conversation keeps going on, Snow looks on as she hears everything with interest.

"Why did you?" Emma asks lowering her voice.

"I already know you, darling. Open book, remember love." Killian Jones says quietly as in a whisper. Then he kisses her again the exact way that Emma did on top of the beanstalk just as she left him. He whispers to her once again before he backs away and says, "I'm sorry love."

Then he backs away, showing Emma the necklace with the dried-up bean and says "that's what you get for leaving me up there, Swan. Talk about fair play, love."

Emma then shook her head, unbelievable as to what's happening, to what Hook is doing. Then before he and Cora leave, she shouts backs, "fair play indeed, Hook!" While she mumbles about incoherently about seeing the dried-up bean once again in his hand.

After Cora and Hook left, the four of them gave in to silence. Emma keeps on looking at the parchment and thinking how to get out of there, thinking that maybe she could use her sword but remembers that will be impossible since the cell was meant for Rumpelstiltskin, made to be an indestructible cell. While Snow watches her daughter looking at the parchment and was about to use her sword, however she didn't do anything knowing that it wouldn't anything. Then her thoughts go back to Emma and Hook, what is going with them and seeing them through the latest scene of them, that just happened only a few moments ago. She wonders what has happened on the beanstalk, because clearly something happened there, and she was so curious that she wants to know.

"Emma, what happened on the beanstalk?" Snow finally asks with Emma slightly making a laugh, more of a chuckle.

"Mary Margaret you asked what happened on the freaking beanstalk? The part of what just happened is about the exact thing of what I did on the beanstalk. Before I left him on the beanstalk, I've kissed him said I'm sorry and then left without looking back."

Mary Margaret accepts the answer for now, knowing that she was only going to get. Even though she knows something bigger happened on the beanstalk, she simply nods. Then she knows how to get out of the cell. She looks at the parchment and tells Emma a little story when she was a kid. "When I was a little girl I would sneak into Cora's chamber and watch her practice magic, she had a spell book - "And, Emma... the spells were in the book," she says. Emma asks if that's not what a spell book is, a book with spells in it, Snow tells her to watch. The princess blows onto the page and the words literally fly off it, the many "Emma's forming a cloud of ink, which Emma suddenly realizes came from the squid that made the ink for the quill that trapped Rumple, the ink that they went there to find. Snow gives the cloud a blow and it disperses, clashing with the bars of the cell, a hole is made in them. "You see Emma, good always wins." Then the three of them left with their weapons, leaving Aurora behind as she's not trustworthy now being heartless and all.

As the portal rages on in Lake Nostos, just when Cora and Hook were about to go in the portal, with them almost touching the compass, an arrow rushes through with the compass now on the sandy floor. It is with shock that Cora finds herself in while Hook knew something was going to happen, wasn't that shocked as Snow White, Emma Swan, and Mulan were there.

Snow tells Cora that she's not going anywhere and that the portal's taking them home, she instructs Emma to get the compass and obeys, running beside the portal and towards Cora and Hook. Cora tells Hook, who has the compass, to hide it as she takes care of the girls. Hook runs away and, as Emma advances on Cora, Cora creates a stream of flames with a wave of her hand. She fires the flames at Mulan who blocks them with her sword. Soon, Emma runs at Hook with her sword at the ready, he does the same and a swash buckle ensues between the two creating an equal fight with equal strength, power, weakness, advantages. They swing their swords and she kicks him in the stomach, Cora fires another flame ball, this time at Snow, who avoids it, and Emma clashes blades with Hook once more, he manages to get her sword to come flying from her hand in a quick maneuver, however, a determined Emma runs at him, attempting to tackle him. Hook easily slips her and floors her, he goes to attack her but is immediately distracted by another arrow fired from Snow to protect her daughter. This delay gives Emma some time to crawl for her sword, however, she doesn't make it as Hook drags her along the ground by one ankle, fueled with rage. Snow prepares her bow to fire yet another arrow whereas Cora sends another ball of fire for Mulan who maneuvers and deflects the magic with her sword. Mulan spins, swishing her blade, however, Cora vanishes in a swirl of purple mist and Mulan ends up sending the pouch containing Aurora's heart flying into the active portal. As it seems all hope of saving Aurora is lost, Hook bends backwards and manages to catch the pouch by the handle with his hook, he brings the heart to shore. Emma stands and runs to her sword. Hook states that he may be a pirate, but he wouldn't deny a young lady her heart, throwing it to Mulan.

With Aurora's heart back, Mulan leaves Lake Nostos with Snow and Emma behind. As she left, Emma goes back on fighting Hook with ease as they had before. As during this fight, Emma gets flashes of a life where they were both fighting each other though it was for the purpose to learn. Emma fights with all she knows how to use a sword comes flashing in and out. Their fight was truly an equal fight with Emma knowing his tactic and Hook/Killian knowing hers as well. They fought each other well with their opponent creating the perfect opponent to fight against each other. Though they both know that one of them will be the victor, the fighting gets longer while the fight between Cora and Snow diminishes, they look at the ongoing fight between pirate and princess with awe that they've not faltered. Whoever wins the fight would be the ones that will be going back to Storybrooke.

When Emma fallen to the ground, Hook says to her "Normally, I'd like to do other, more enjoyable activities with a woman lying on her back, which I'm sure are one of our favorite things to do as we're man and wife, I would imagine that we did it plentiful of times, love." As he says this, Emma scoffs, but then when he keeps on leaning and leaning in, she could feel her body taking place of what was familiar between their bodies, however as Emma digs one of her hands on the sand, she felt the compass underneath her fingers. She then punches him, leaving him unconscious and shouts "let's go home!"

With the portal still swiveling, Emma goes toward to her mom Mary Margaret to help her with Cora at which some point, they reengaged their fight once again. When mother and daughter try to go the portal, Cora states that her daughter needs her, and, that when she arrives, she will present her with something she's always wanted - "Your heart." She wishes Snow a goodbye as she starts to plunge her hand into her chest, however, Emma leaps to her feet and pushes Snow out of the way, meaning that Cora's hand is now in Emma's chest, gripping Emma's heart. Snow cries out for her daughter. Cora tells her, "Oh, you foolish girl. Don't you know? Love is weakness." She goes to pull on Emma's heart but is unable to retrieve it, her hand lodged in Emma's chest, she tries again, a few more times, but Emma's heart appears unable to be taken out. "No," Emma tells Cora, "It's strength."

With Cora now out cold, they go the portal confidently clutch both of their hand to each other on the compass, as the jump into the portal leaving Enchanted Forest behind them as they go back home to Storybrooke.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Can't Help to Think About you**

When Emma and Mary Margaret went back home through the portal, they find themselves coming out of the well at Storybrooke with Regina, Rumpelstiltskin, Ruby, and Henry as their audience. When they climbed out Henry ran to hug them as soon as possible, showing how he deeply missed his mom and grandma and explained that Regina saved them. As well as Ruby hugged her friends. Curious as they were about how Regina, the Evil Queen has saved them, they found out that Rumpelstiltskin and Regina were planning to kill Cora when in transporting through the portal however Regina stopped it, making them back home safe and sound.

Then the four of them, Ruby, Emma, Henry, Mary Margaret ran to Gold's pawn shop where in the back room lied David Nolan, Emma's father, Mary Margaret's or rather Snow's husband. She kneeled onto the bed where he lied and kissed him and in seconds he woke up, freed from the sleeping curse while everyone who was there applaud to them, admitting that good always wins. As the day went past, out in the horizon at night on the sea there was a misty fog bringing mysteriousness to the town where a ship appears with new people that have arrived to Storybrooke. Cora and Hook has arrived.

On the next day, nothing much happened while they were away, only David and Ruby handled he's supposed father that nobody knew, that was King George caused some racquet. When the night came, it was decided that from the citizens of Storybrooke or rather close friends from of David's and Snow's have placed upon them to have a dinner at Granny's. It was there where they gathered to catch up with each other with hopefully no dangers in the foreseeable future.

"How was the Enchanted Forest?" David asks.

"It was interesting." Snow said while everyone else was curious as to why Snow said the word interesting. It was all in everyone's minds including the evil queen who is trying to redeem herself there. What could have happened there, that made it interesting?

Emma ignores everyone at the party as her friend turned mother answered the questions of what happened at the Enchanted Forest. While she ignores Mary Margaret telling everyone about Emma eating chimera, knows how to use a sword quite well as evidenced from the ogre attack and the fight between her and Hook that includes to Snow statement of seeing the best fight she has ever seen as she explains this by how great their fighting are, that they were well appointed opponents as they fought for an amount of time. As Snow goes into delve of all their stories herself, Emma goes back to last night's dream ignoring the staring of everyone as they looked at her with unbelievable awe and pride.

 _Emma was eighteen years old. She was in a small home that was safe in a small island as she looked around. Her husband, Killian was there sitting next to her. It was a nice day with little clouds on the sky and with the cold weather that is starting to fade, it was late March and Emma was very, very pregnant. She caresses her stomach along with Killian there caressing her stomach as well, as they patiently wait for their arrival of their first born. Then Killian moves around in the house, making sure everything was well and ready whenever their child will be coming. Then in a few moments later Emma starting to feel pains in her back and then when she stands up, her water broke._

 _"Killian!" she shouts as he comes back to her. "It's time." She says with him nodding at her in understanding of what's to come. He helped Emma get to the bed and as soon he did that, he ran out of the house to get the doctor. When the doctor came, he indicated that it'll be a long day until the child comes into the world. Hours go by and by, it was already past night time as the morning is slowly coming in. Emma is already exhausted from the waiting game, she's been in labor for over ten hours, the doctor left when he mentioned that it will be a long day, so after he left, he comes back every few hours, every four hours to check on her progress, she is doing well. When the sun starts to shine through with little specks, when dawn is coming, Emma was ready. When the doctor proclaimed that she was ready, he prepared the room rather quickly and as he sees her husband, he asks him to leave, however, made her case. "Doctor I know that you mean well, but that is not going to happen. I've no one else here except for my husband to be here for the birth of our child but I'm freaking scared. I need someone by my side for this. I'm not letting Killian going to wait until our child comes, he is going to be in this room holding my hand and telling me that I bloody well can do this! I need him here. Besides where I come from, the dads could be in the room when the women are in birth. From where I come from, they don't do these traditions, they have a choice and mine choice is for my husband to be in this room when I give birth! Do you understand that?!" With no sound coming from the doctor, he goes to her as she is about to give birth._

 _As she screams that seems that has been going on for hours when was only minutes, Emma gave birth to a healthy little girl. The doctor cleaned everything up between the new fond mother and daughter before he deems everything is clear, then he leaves._

 _"So, what are we name this lass, Emma?" Killian says looks at Emma as they look at their daughter's appearance, taking everything in. The almost wavy, curly hair of dark brown hair with shining blue green eyes come from both parents. Looking at their daughter that has the appearance of mostly comes from Emma, the same chin, almost identical face features._

 _"I don't know." Emma starts to say, "where I came from Killian there's a book of names that new to-be mothers would use to find a name. I wish I have that now. Plus, I kind of thought it would be a boy, if it was a boy, I would've name him after your brother, Liam."_

 _"That would've been a nice name for a boy, but we have a lass, Emma."_

 _"I know, and I don't know what to name her, she's perfect, do you have any suggestions?"_

 _"Maybe we can call her Amelia or Emilia?"_

 _"I like Amelia for a middle name." Then she sees Killian's face as he gets confused. "In my world, we give them two names, one for the first and then the middle name along with their last names. Plus, a lot of people live from where I come from so, we give them two names, so we don't get confused with who's who." Then Emma keeps looking at her daughter, thinking what her name will be and then it hits her like a light bulb. "How about Felicity?"_

 _"Felicity Jones, Felicity Amelia Jones." Killian repeats the name and nods. "I like it."_

 _"Welcome to the world Felicity Amelia Jones, me and your papa already loves your beautiful girl."_

 _Then eight years later her eighth birthday, Felicity Amelia Jones is growing quite beautifully with her almost fair skin that close assembles to her mom with her almost curly hair of dark brown and eyes of blue-green still shines the same glint just as the way she was born. Then Emma and Killian Jones give their daughter a present, a beautiful locket of gold that has two of her initials on the front and inside there's a little sketch that has her parents inside of it. Emma put it on her daughter's neck, as she nearly jumps up and down, indicating she already loves her present although she's happy for it she still wishes the one thing that she wants. To be a big sister._

 _Shortly after Felicity turned eight, there was a commotion among the island which was quite rare to be heard about. Then Killian recognizes the chaos, it was the men that had signa of the King that he once worked for. As he recognizes the men and why they were here, he knew what he had to do. He told Emma quickly and then the next did that was happening was the three of them packing fast and moving fast moving towards the ship. "Where are we going to do Killian?" Emma asked when they arrived at the ship unseen and unscathed._

 _"It's no longer safe to stay here, or wherever we go, they'll still find us, no matter where we go, Emma. My love, the only thing that we can do is to stay at the ship. Felicity can take my old room, the lieutenant's room while we can take my room at the Captains. While I'm taking care of the ship, you can keep on teaching our daughter. Money's not an issue with us, whatever we will need we will get it. When there's a fight that we can't avoid, then you and Felicity will be in our room."_

 _"While I don't like the idea of all of this, I have to agree with you Killian. For the safety of our family, there's nothing much we can do about it. We can't find another place to live because if they're still that determined to find us, then I guess we are going to have to get used to living on the seas."_

As Emma remembers that, she doesn't know what to do. She feels incomplete. While she found her parents and Henry, you would think that she'll be fine, but the feeling is still. Feeling incomplete and while she remembers when she met Hook, some part of her felt a little more complete but it wasn't wholly. When she dreamt of the daughter that she has lost or forgotten, she felt sad that she is thinking about her. Then she remembers what Killian said on the beanstalk, about being scared to admit of what the dreams, visions, flashbacks are really are, that they're memories. She is on her way to believing everything that she is seeing, she is opening to the possibility that they're all real. At that moment when she is starting to believe she goes to touch if there's a ring on her important finger, and when she touches of where engagement/ married bands are, she feels the weight on her finger, while she can feel it, she can't see it.

Then another thing or rather someone comes to mind. While she admits that Killian/Captain Hook would always trigger her thoughts in any given time, she can't help but to remember him. Not that she wants to or not, it couldn't be dealt with. As she thinks back to him, she goes and look at her son Henry. Whenever she thinks of Killian, she looks at Henry whenever he's in the room inquisitively. She may have not seen it there before arriving to the Enchanted Forest with Mary Margaret but now being back at Storybrooke she can't help but to see the differences and similarities of Henry's appearance if she and Killian were to have a boy of their own. When she looks at Henry, she can see that he's got her green eyes though while his hair is dark brown like Felicity's from her dreams that could be memories, she couldn't help but look at his face and sees Killian's grin, her forehead, his cheekbones, their combination of eyebrow formation, and her chin. As she looks at Henry, she rather admittingly can say that Henry could be theirs, but how can that be possible she thinks, it's impossible. Henry could rather be Killian's and besides she doesn't exactly know who Henry's father is or are, she thinks it could be Neal's, but Henry's birthday doesn't pinpoint that he's exactly Neal's kid which then to lead to who is her son's father, she doesn't remember being with anyone before Neal that is. Then Killian comes up to mind and she grudgingly admit to herself that she needs to learn to believe in all of that is Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest.

As the night rolls on and the party seems to die down in volume wise, Regina leaves the diner with Emma going to check on her, making sure that everything was okay. However, their conversation was awkward to say the least in both parties' company. In the end, Regina asked if Emma can accept her apology and due to both of their surprise, Emma accepts and truly believes that she is changing for the better because of their son. Then they parted ways when Emma goes back to the diner and Regina going back home. As Emma goes back to the diner, she feels that someone is spying on her, but she shrugs off thinking as if it was nothing and ignores as if someone important is here, that makes her feel complete of her soul. For only a moment that is.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: The Case of Archie Hopper**

When the next day came by, it was unexpected to her that someone was murdered that was a close friend of the family was killed by Regina someone who is trying to change from the evil queen and be good. Emma knows things and something in her stirs up, while she watches the unfortunate incident happen, she can't help but see the truth literally on the dreamcatcher. It doesn't make sense. None of this makes sense to her as instinct is telling her. Deep down within her instincts are correct, she relies heavily upon it. Not is it her instincts that are telling that Regina didn't do it, as is proven when she heard about Dr. Hopper's death, is clearly shaken in shock of not knowing and yet while her parents suggest putting her in a cell, Emma can't do it because she believes in Regina. Then she asks Regina a question, in hopes that she knows what she is doing.

"Regina, I know that you're innocent. You know more magic more than I do so as painful as I don't want to ask this of you, but I believe we need to know. What would you do? Or rather do you know of someone that would do this?"

"Miss Swan, that is quite an unusual question that you ask of? Why would I tell you for the matter that will help this case?"

"Miss Mills I'm doing my job. Would you answer that question or not, Madame Mayor? Because everything that you will say will help this case. Tell me this is not your work, your methods, I need information, Regina."

"The work that you've claimed that is me is not. For one if I were to kill someone important, I would make a public appearance instead of making it private. When I was the Evil Queen, I'll make a show out of it to prove to a point to people to make sure that they understand the consequences. Another reason that it's not me is that the work is sloppy, I wouldn't leave someone murdered in their place, it's not my style. If someone is framing me for a reason, then I think this person would do that should know don't you think Miss…" Suddenly Regina loses focus and thinks she knows who it is with wide eyes open.

"You know who it is Regina! Tell me what you are thinking."

"The only person who I think now that would cause so much chaos was to get their attention to me and the only one who would do that is…my mother. But then if my mother is here, then how could she have gotten here?"

"Last night after we've talked, I felt that someone was spying at me. I shrugged it off thinking it was nothing. Damn it! I shouldn't have put that feeling away. The only way that Cora would come here would be restoring that dried bean Hook showed me, they both wanted to come here and they both could be here now. Damn it! How did I miss that? I should've known from last night."

Then when Regina and Emma leave the interrogation room, David and Mary Margaret were shocked, to say the least, would be an understatement. They didn't expect the interrogating would turn into this. They've truly thought that Regina was going to be under bars or arrested or something else instead as they've heard the interrogation when they heard that Emma believes in her. That was one of the things they couldn't believe in. The other was watching Emma and it was that with no doubt, that seeing Emma's reaction and what she was doing in there.

While this was happening on the other side of Storybrooke, where the docks are is where the Jolly Roger lied there on the water, invisible cloned into the background. Nobody would've known that someone is here unless they try to get on the ship. Captain Hook was overlooking the ship that was cloned, which he hated for, even though Cora was right that they should keep the unknown of them being in Storybrooke. They've haven't been here long until Cora poofs on the ship and then goes towards him.

"I got you a gift, Captain," Cora says while Hook lifts an eyebrow up in confusion.

"A gift?" he asks, standing. "What is it?" However, the witch corrects him in saying that it's not a "what", but a "who". She gestures for him to follow her with her hand before heading down towards the ship and lifting the grate for better access, he sees a man who is tied and gagged. Hook asks, if that's Archie, then who did Cora kill, she merely shrugs and responds, "How do I know? It's my first day in town." Then she vanishes into thin air going wherever she pleases as if he cared about Cora's plan.

When she vanished into thin air, he rants out about Cora and her plan and making him a part of it, as of which he doesn't want to be a part of. If he remembers as if it was yesterday, was when Rumpelstiltskin the bloody dark one took away his hand and he swore upon revenge. However, he doesn't bloody know the reason why he would want against him, he doesn't remember anything at all. At this point, that there was no Milah at all, so why would he seek out vengeance when everybody else believes that he is, what would he do now that he is here in Storybrooke? He wishes that he remembers now and in order to get his memories back, he needs Emma to fall in love with him again. How was he going to do that, especially with her barriers placed up all around her, if he could do what he did on the beanstalk again, then maybe there's hope out there or it would take a long time if she's going to be closed off? At that moment he knows he needs help, what does this Archie person do anyway?

He takes off the gag from the man's mouth while Archie looks at him in fear of what's he going to do with him. "I'm not going to hurt you." Archie looks at him not believing him. "While in the Enchanted Forest I was in league with Cora, but the only purpose was to get here. Cora and I are not working together now though I'm not pleased with bringing her business to me." Archie looks at him and as he realizes that he truly was not going to hurt him but why is Hook talking to him. He admits that he is curious.

"Why are you talking to me?" Archie asks, finally speaking.

"I want information. First tell me what you do here, in this town."

"I'm a psychiatrist, a doctor. I help people with their personal issues by talking to them and seeing if my patients may or may not have a type of mental illness."

"Tell me your opinion on Emma Swan. Don't worry I'm not going to hurt her."

"I don't know much of her, I've only had talked to her a few times. From what I gather about her she is protective towards her son, Henry, she loves him no doubt even though she gave him up. She gave him his best chance and is being a good mother to him. She is well loved by the people in Storybrooke, she is also the town's sheriff. She doesn't have much happiness in her youth, so she's reluctant and places herself barriers to protect herself. Though from last night I believe she is changing, I don't know what it is, but she is learning to believe in everything regarding fairytales being real."

As Hook listens to what Archie says, he can tell with certainty that he's telling the truth. Though he was quite surprised to hear that Emma is starting to believe in everything even though Archie doesn't what it is, he himself believes that he knows already. His swan, his Emma is starting to believe that's good he thought so maybe wooing her will be easier this time around. Another thing he recognized when Archie was talking about Henry for a moment, he saw unbelievable recognition of his eyes like he solved something about the lad.

"What did you figure out? When you were talking about the lad, you figured something out. What was it?" Hook asks.

"I'm very familiar with Henry and when I really looked at you, I would think that if you and Emma would have a son together, he would look like Henry."

As Hook hears that, he knows what he would be doing later when he's done with Archie here.

"Has Emma come to talk to you?"

"Only once when the curse was still here, she asked about her son. If you're talking about recently then no."

"When was the last time you saw her?" Hook asked.

"Last night at Granny's diner for a welcome back home party."

"Tell me what she looked like to you?"

"At first she was getting welcomed by everyone when she entered the diner. Then she was in a daze when we are hearing of what happened in the Enchanted Forest by Snow, I don't know what was going on, I don't know if she was reminiscing or thinking, that's one of the two things that I think she was doing in that time. She seemed to be sad, regret, a little surprised even."

Then Killian thinks real hard as Archie tells him this. It sounds like maybe she is thinking about something from a vision, a flashback, a dream or something that would explain this. But what memory would have sprouted her emotions. Then he puts Emma into the back of his head and starts to think about his situation.

"I'm going to do something that isn't at me now aye. I'm going to say a hypothetical situation and I want to hear your advice, understand?"

"Yes."

"In this situation, a couple were together for about twenty years together, they had a good life until a sorcerer cursed them to forget everything that happened in those years together. When the sorcerer breaks them apart, he put false memories towards the husband making him believe that they are held the sorcerer. Very long years later the couple finds each other but they don't remember everything that has happened to them although they are in familiar with each other. For the husband that has led a life based on those false memories, he is in conflict on what to do. Should he go after the sorcerer and get his revenge even though he knows that the memories he recently learned aren't real or does he find love with her again and help her no matter what. What do you think he should do?"

As Arche listens to the situation he can't believe that hypothetically of that happening is basically impossible. He doesn't believe the situation is hypothetic at all, instead, this is about the pirate's life. Though the situation is unique to itself. "Hypothetically that is, I believe he gives up on revenge because if he already acknowledges that the life that he led was based on a false life where he wasn't himself. He would do that because not only is it the right thing to do it also gives him something to live for and to seek out his happiness again."

For a few silent minutes come by with Hook thinking of what to do with Archie. He believes he knows what he is going to do with him, he knows what Cora's reaction would be. As Archie looks at him with a new sense of light that was brought to his attention, he replays the situation that Hook talked about, while highly impossible he knew deep within of what kind of person, what kind of man Captain Hook is. He didn't see it coming but living a life that was based on his persona of Captain Hook. Like he stated he didn't see it coming as Hook cuts the ropes that bind his arms and legs. Of all the things he could imagine when he was brought here earlier by Cora, he didn't think that Hook would help him escape.

As Archie is freed, he goes directly from the docks to the sheriff's station. While Hook himself thinks about the potential of him having another child that he never knew about. As he knows, he has a daughter but to think that he also has a son too gives him time to get his mind that is overwhelming and with the things that he has learned as of today, he gets his flask of silver that contains rum and drinks it.

Back at the station with Emma and Regina out of the interrogation room, Mary Margaret and David go towards Emma's office where they would decide on the next course of action. There were all in the office barely thinking of what to do, to find Cora in Storybrooke. Emma knows that Cora's here but how will they find her. The four of them were talking of ways to find her until they heard a door opening from the main doors. It was a shock to see who came through the doors. It was Archie Hopper, the person who they all thought were dead, or was dead or whatever.

"What happened?" Emma questioned Archie.

"Cora kidnapped me."

"Where?"

"On Hook's Ship at the docks."

"How did you escape?"

"I didn't. Hook let me go." Archie said and much to everyone's surprise Mary Margaret, David, and Regina were shocked, to say the least, though Emma somehow didn't find it as surprising to her.

"Did he do anything to you?"

"No, he didn't though he did ask for information."

"What kind of information?"

"He wanted to know about you," Archie said though he should keep Henry under wraps and not say anything else, thinking what he should tell Emma about. "They were other things as well however I can't say because of patient confidentiality. He also said that he is not going to use the information that I gave him that is going to hurt people."

"That's good news."

"How is that good news?" David asked. "He's a pirate, we can't exactly trust him. Who knows what he's going to do?"

"You want to trust David? Then trust me when I say that I trust him. Don't ask about why I trust him, but I have a strong gut feeling that I can trust him, okay." Emma says.

"Emma before I left, Hook passed me a message to you. He said you would know about it, even though I don't know what it means exactly." Archie says.

Emma nodded. "What's the message?"

"Felicity."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: On This Long Night**

When everything was sorted out with the case of Archie Hopper, everyone went back to their usual ways. Everyone who was there at the station knew these things, one Cora is in town which is obviously bad news, two Hook is a person of interest because Mary Margaret, David, and Regina doesn't believe that he could be good as he helped Archie escape while Emma and Archie alone knew that he could be trusted. Then everyone left the station as the day passed within knowing that Archie was kidnapped and is now safe.

Throughout the end of the day and through the night, Emma can't help of what to think about when Archie said her daughter's name, Felicity. When he said that, emotions got to the best of her. She felt sad, regret, and shock. Though she supposed that she shouldn't have been surprised that Hook, no scratch that, Killian said her name. Hearing her name means something to her not only because that they're parents to Felicity and are missing a piece of her but it was of her daughter alone, that kept her nearly all night with Emma which caused her to be tossing and turning. She wondered and pondered, of what happened to her, she knew deep down inside of her she is not dead, she is sure of it. Hearing her name was a reminder of the life that she doesn't remember. Emma never knew the power of a name would do to you, and as to the testament of what she's going through, she understands the meaning of names. She learned about family and the importance of when you're in a family, Emma never experienced having a family in her young life before she was seventeen. Not until she met Killian and Liam Jones did, she learns about their upbringing though they had each other, she had no one. For a long time, she was alone when she met Killian and fell in love with him so fast, that she even got married. Now being in Storybrooke and knowing the story of her parents, she knows that while she hasn't exactly bonded with them as a family, she is starting to realize that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to call them mom and dad, though it's weird that they're the same age as her, she is willing to try.

The next day went by peacefully or normal as Storybrooke can get through Emma don't like the feeling she's been having today, because of the atmosphere that's been in the air, Emma has a bad idea of what's going to happen. Don't ask why she's just had a bad feeling is going to come tonight.

She remembered when Leroy or Grumpy came to the apartment and asked of when they will be back at home in the Enchanted Forest. She didn't know that they were people like Leroy who wants to go back to the Enchanted Forest, though she said that it was already hard enough just to get back here from the Enchanted Forest. Then Mary Margaret and Grumpy talked for a few more minutes longer. While Emma thinks about home. She wondered and pondered where is home for her? What does home mean to her? Emma is confused, if she was young and in the Enchanted Forest being married with a family, she would've said the Enchanted Forest, and now she's in the land without magic with lost memories, in a town where fairytales that you've known in your life as fiction are real, living in the real world where also lies in her family. She doesn't know what her answer would be now. Here or the Enchanted Forest, though while her long stay in the forest was in a different time than it was now, would she willing to go back.

When the day turned into night, the feeling got worse for Emma Swan. At the town border, Belle went with Mr. Gold walking close to the border with the shawl that she is holding while Gold takes out a vial of potion and pours onto the shawl. It emits a blue glow and slowly Belle puts the shawl onto Mr. Gold as he walks past the border of the town and within a couple of seconds later smiles as the potion became a success for his plans to find his son.

Then everything fell into place.

It was too fast, so fast there was heartache. Belle witnessed a speeding car crossing over the line where unbeknownst to Mr. Gold was in there, due to this Belle bravely saved him while she got caught in the crossfire. She saved Mr. Gold's life but in Storybrooke, magic always comes with a price, then the car got crashed to the side of the road while Belle got hit and is unconscious just like the stranger who came into town.

When Emma got the call from Mr. Gold who was already in hysterics, Emma went to the town line with David and Mary Margaret that are also her parents. There she looked in the situation just like what a sheriff would do however what caught even her parents up was the stranger who came into Storybrooke, Gold even mentioned this as he tried to remember whose car was that, and he knew deep down that this person is a stranger and could be potentially bad for the town that is if he has an intention with the town. At the hospital with Belle and the unknown man, it seemed that word spreads like quicksand.

It was chaos.

Leroy was there and voiced out their opinions to the stranger who entered Storybrooke. Some were okay if the stranger died, while others like Emma and her parents believe that no matter who this stranger is, they need to save him because it's the right thing to do. If he's just a stranger, a regular tourist then all is well though if he doesn't have any those intentions towards the special town. If he is seen as a threat it will be hard to find and for him to stay here until his injuries are recovered and he'll be going home hopefully. Yet Emma can't find those words to suspect the man, that she sees him a threat, she doesn't know why but the feeling that she has had been having all day converts to the stranger. The feeling revolves around the stranger. She knows what to do however she can't do anything about, as she can try with why he is here. At least Killian wasn't here if he was then it would be even more chaos if possible. Of all the things to think about she was glad that Killian wasn't a part of this mess, it put her mind into ease.

When Whale acknowledges that the stranger named Greg should have surgery thanks to Mary Margaret and David he leaves, and Mary Margaret asks if anyone else noticed that he's drunk off his ass. In a few moments later David approaches him looks and at him funnily, but Whale assures the prince that he's joking (for all he knows), saying that it's too bad it's cracked. David mentions that he thought Whale would be scrubbing in by now and Whale, seeming far away, tells David that he's going to do that. The prince asks the doctor if his arm's okay, but Whale assures him that he's not drunk. David accepts this and just tells the doctor to save this guy as it doesn't matter what he saw, they don't let go of people. Whale nods as David walk away, he stares back down at the familiar watch.

Emma continues to hold Greg's phone which continues to ring, none of them knowing what to do. Leroy notes that it's the same person calling him, and Emma notes the person is named on the phone as "Her", saying that it's cute. David suggests that it's probably a girlfriend and Mary Margaret tells Emma to answer it and just let her know Greg's okay. Emma reminds her mother that he's not okay. Ruby points out that he's alive and that they could let her know that, however, David points out that the police could trace the call in an instant. Emma says that she could activate the "find your phone thing" without them picking it up at all. The ringing stops and Leroy says that that settles that before Mary Margaret exclaims that her nerves can't take it anymore, asking if the surgery is almost over. David puts a comforting arm on her shoulder and Emma begins to estimate how long the surgery takes before seeing a member of medical staff step out of the hallway, David asks him if there's any news, but the staff member tells them that they're just waiting for the doctor. Ruby is shocked that he isn't in the OR and the staff member says that he never came in. Emma orders him to page him and he obliges. David states that Whale was not looking so good earlier. His pager is heard beeping and Mary Margaret says that he's here, however, Emma discovers the pager abandoned alongside Whale's white coat, "No, but his pager is," she tells them, "He's gone."

At the hospital, Ruby is sniffing Dr. Whale's lab coat in order to track him down as Mary Margaret, David, Emma, and Leroy follow her. David asks her if she's got the scent and Ruby replies that it's "boozy". Emma tells Ruby to find Whale and bring him back whilst they wait and figure out their options if the doctor doesn't return. Mary Margaret suggests that maybe Doc could do the surgery, but Leroy merely laughs at this idea, saying that Doc doesn't do surgery. The princess points out that Whale may not even have run as Cora could have grabbed him for some reason. David says that he doesn't think so as he's been in a rough place ever since he brought Regina's fiancée back to life. "Daniel?" Mary Margaret asks. "Back to life?" Emma adds. David explains that Whale had his arm ripped off and put back on, which Leroy comments on as "cool". Mary Margaret is confused as to how Daniel came back, and Emma asks if it's like Frankenstein, however, to her surprise, David says that that's who Whale is. Mary Margaret asks what went on here whilst they were gone but David merely grunts and shakes his head. Emma tells Ruby to get going and bring back Dr. Frankenstein, Ruby takes the lab coat and Emma says that otherwise, they'll be sending this guy home with bolts in his neck. Mary Margaret assures her daughter that Ruby will find him, but Emma asks what sort of state he will be in.

Dr. Whale is seen standing on the edge of a bridge in Storybrooke, presumably ready to jump. He stares at his brother's watch in his hand before looking to the water beneath him. Ruby is seen walking onto the opposite end of the bridge, seeing this, and calling out for Whale. The doctor exclaims for the girl not to come near him, but Ruby begins to approach him anyway. Whale throws his brother's watch into the water, about to kill himself. He steps off the edge as Ruby is seen breaking into a run and hanging onto his neckline, having just saved his life. A few moments later they were talking as Ruby helps Dr. Whale with his current problem surrounding why he's a monster and that he's a guy who trying to bring life back, and with Ruby's encouragement, he gets up waits for Ruby to stand up as they walk back to the hospital and let the doctor save a life.

When Dr. Whale arrived back to the hospital and went in surgery. Sometime later when the surgery is finished, he tells the group that Greg will survive and will only need about a week or two for recuperation. Before that happens when the doctor leaves, Emma immediately tells them that they can't do it as a group. Emma points out that they're trying to convince this guy that this place is normal and in a normal town the sheriff goes in and asks some questions.

Emma walks into Greg's room in the hospital and he asks if she is a nurse, however, she introduces herself as Sheriff Swan. He clutches his stomach, clearly still uncomfortable after the surgery, and says that he's thirsty. Emma fetches his drink from his bedside table and hands it to him, Greg sips. She explains that she has some personal items of his and places them on the same table. Greg finishes his sip before being told by Emma that she wants to talk to him about the accident, he appears worried. He asks if he hit somebody and takes from Emma's silence that he did, asking if he's okay. Greg is thankful before Emma moves back to the foot of his bed, telling him that she needs him to state what happened in his own words. What he did. What he saw. The outsider wonders why, saying that he didn't see anything, but Emma points out that he was driving. At this, Greg tells her that he saw the road, Emma says that she may be able to put his mind at ease as there may be an explanation if he saw anything. "I was texting," Greg admits, Emma is surprised, and he recounts that he looked down, just for a second, and when he looked back up, he was right there and too close to avoid, he says that he knows that's illegal in Maine. Emma assures him that it's okay as she's just glad he was honest with her. This leads Greg to ask if there are any charges and Emma answers negatively, allowing to let him off with a warning. He thanks her before wondering when he can head home and Emma replies that it will be as soon as the doctor clears him, saying that they don't want to keep him, and smiling sweetly. The sheriff proceeds to leave the room.

Emma is next seen walking down the hospital stairs, presumably straight from Greg's room. Leroy asks if Greg saw anything and Emma assures them that they're clear. Mary Margaret sighs in relief and David suggests that now maybe things can calm down for ten minutes so that they can catch their breath.

Back at the apartment, Henry is seen rushing down the stairs to Emma, David and Mary Margaret arriving home, stating that they were out all night, wondering where they were as Granny wouldn't tell him anything. He asks if he missed anything. David asks them if cereal's okay for breakfast and Emma confirms it before Mary Margaret explains to Henry that there was an accident at the town line involving Rumpelstiltskin, Belle, and an outsider. Emma adds that they weren't sure Dr. Frankenstein could fix him, but he did.

Henry realizes that that's who Whale is and Emma confirms it, saying that he's missing the neck bolts. He corrects her in saying that the monster had the bolts, not the doctor. Emma says that that's why some of them have known him, it's weird. Mary Margaret states that it's not weird, reminding her that they were cursed. Henry asks them what they're talking about, but David tells him it's nothing, he inquires further but Mary Margaret weighs in, assuring the boy once more that it's nothing. Henry quickly runs away to collect his book and returns, saying that Frankenstein isn't in the book and that it's not even a fairytale, meaning that it comes from another land with different stories. He says that if the curse went to places with other stories, then who knows who else could be in this town.

There is a knock on the door and Emma gets up to answer it, however, the knocker walks in upon his own accord - Mr. Gold. Emma reminds him that they've all had a long night, but he ignores this, asking her if she remembers that favor, she owes him. Emma answers positively before Gold tells her that he's cashing it in. David walks from behind the kitchen counter to stand beside Emma, who tries to say that it's not a good time. Gold stops her, wondering if she is a woman who honors her agreements. Henry joins her as well. Gold tells the blonde that he needs to find someone, so they're leaving today, suggesting she pack a bag. Mary Margaret is confused by this, joining the rest of her family, curious. Emma is confused by being told to 'find someone', asking who it is, Gold replies that it's his son. He then explains that it must be today as every minute he's there is a minute closer to him losing his son, to avoid Cora coming towards him to be on her side, before saying that it's best for all concerned that he leaves, telling Emma that she's going to come with him. Mr. Gold stops talking and hesitantly thinking he has more to say however he doesn't. Emma hugs Henry before Gold says that he'll see her at noon, leaving. Mary Margaret and David draw in closer as well.

After that, Emma and Henry started to pack for their unexpected impromptu trip, to find Mr. Gold's son. As Emma finishes packing, she looks at the time before deciding, to visiting Killian and explain that she'll be gone for a few days and for him to be on his behavior. As that thought finishes, she wished she hadn't thought her last thought about Killian and now she feels and act like she is married to him. She looks at the clock again and makes her decision.

"Henry!" Emma shouted.

"Yes!" replied Henry who shouted along and then coming down to stairs to his mom.

"Henry stay here, I've to talk to someone before we leave, okay. Stay here with Mary Margaret and David, okay."

As David and Mary Margaret were still in the living room, they looked at Emma warily thinking who she must see before she leaves. Though they both nodded, and Mary Margaret said: "of course."

Emma goes gets her keys and rushes to her car and drove to the docks. At the ship, she yells at his name and a few seconds later he appears.

"Swan, love what are you doing here on this fine morning?" Killian asked.

"Killian, I didn't come here to flirt with you, I have news that is important."

"If you're not here to do our favorite activities, then what is so important that we won't be able to do our activities."

Emma then started to casually say "I'll be out of town for a couple of days. I must cash my deal to Rumpelstiltskin-

"You've made a deal from Rumpelstiltskin! Are you crazy love, why would you do that? You should know to remember what he did to us, to our family." Killian said with trepidation.

"What did he do?" Emma asked quite curious. Killian looked at Emma finally taking a good long look at her appearance.

"Did you sleep last night, love?"

"No, I've spent my whole night at the hospital, there was an accident."

"I had a dream last night love from what was supposed to be our last memory. Before everything changed to the way it is now. The dream was about the Dark One, Rumpelstiltskin finding out and saying that he must fix things that need to be right. He first dealt with Felicity first and took her away from us and he said he deal with her last. Then he deaged us, made us younger, then he put the curse on us to forget each other, he opened a portal and you left the Enchanted Forest to this land. After that, he implanted false memories to me and cut off my hand. Then suddenly I was back on my ship and led my life becoming Captain Hook in the process."

"Do you think I'll get that dream, Killian?"

"Who knows love, maybe you will or maybe you don't." Killian says then they look at each other longingly for who knows how long. It seemed to be forever when really it was only for a minute or a couple of seconds. Then Emma realized something important that before she leaves.

"Killian," she starts to say, "why did you pass the message from Archie and said our daughter's name, why?"

"I was hoping that you would come back to me and tell me if you do know what our daughter's name is? Was I right?"

"Yeah, I was kind of shocked he said her name. Ever since I've found that I, we have a daughter I've been feeling lots of things like guilt, sadness, loathing and longing to be back to that time to be complete and whole, to be a part of being a real family."

"Sorry about that love my love." Killian says then Emma giggles softly almost like she was chuckling or laughing. "What is it love?"

"Oh, just you."

"Me?"

"Yes, it's just you are calling me these nicknames, like Swan, love, my love is interesting when you say that to me. I don't mind it at all and that's the thing Killian, it's just that I've never experienced love until I met you from the dreams. Then we meet again and it's like something's there between us and I've been trying to reject you with what you're saying about this curse and I wonder with or without no curse I would think would we still find a way to be together. I'm probably not making any sense." She sighs.

"It does make sense love. I would think that we would always find a way to be together in the end."

"You do?"

"Aye."

"I know that you care about me Killian but what you don't know is that I do care about you too." When Emma says that, Killian looks back to Emma surprised at her revelation and goes closer to her. "You know maybe we do deserve a goodbye kiss." As Killian leans closer to Emma at a breath to her lips as he kisses her tenderly. Then Emma for the first time in a very long time feels close to bliss, to being whole as she kisses him back with the same emotions. Then they stop, Emma looks at the time with her cell phone and tells him it's time for her to go. Before she leaves him for a couple of days, she goes to her car quickly and takes something out and gives it to Killian.

"What is this Swan?"

"A phone for you, just in case if I want to talk to you privately. Don't worry there's only my phone number on it and I left instructions on how to call me or how to answer a call from me. I really should go now."

"Be careful Emma, my love."

"Of course." Then she goes back to her car and goes back to the apartment where she'll meet with parents to say goodbye to them before leaving to who know where with Mr. Gold.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Hi sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I got stuck with writer's block and was left thinking about the subplots and making sure knowing what I'm doing. I usually try to post at least one chapter per month. So I'm really sorry about that and the other reasons why it took so long was because I was studying for finals coming up and graduating with my A. A. made everything go into a mess. However, I'm also going to note that this month I'll be incredibly busy with two trips, one weekend trip and one towards the middle of the month I'll be gone for almost two weeks as I will be out of state. I'm mentioning to you this now because I may or may not do finish Chapter 10 this month. Anyhow please enjoy Chapter 9: What are Hook's intentions?**

 **Chapter 9: What are Hook's Intentions?**

Before Mary Margaret and David set off to find Cora. Mary Margaret opens the door and sees Regina standing there, having just been about to knock, and David answers his wife's question, saying that apparently, it's not very hard.

"We were wrong," Snow says, "And we're so sorry," Regina says she knows but that if Cora's there, then they're all in danger. She requests that they let her see Henry as she can protect him, but Mary Margaret tells her that he's not there. Regina appears confused and David explains that Mr. Gold asked Emma if she would help find his son and that they left town about an hour ago with Henry. The mayor angrily asks why no one told her and Mary Margaret reminds Regina that they didn't know where she was - "And, to be honest, Regina... I don't think Emma has to run anything by you." Regina appears insulted but soon shakes it off, saying that no, she supposes she doesn't. She soon turns and leaves and Mary Margaret closes the door, hanging her head and sarcastically telling her husband that that went well. David points out that, for Regina, it doesn't get much better. "Come on," he says, grabbing Snow's bow and quiver of arrows from the coat rack and handing them to her, "Let's go find Cora." As she applied the quiver and bow to her outfit, she asks where they're going to look, and David admits that he has no idea, but knows who to ask.

David, Mary Margaret, both of whom armed, and Leroy are next seen walking to Hook. He requests that she come closer and fell for herself, but David lightly punches him as a warning and asks him if he'd like to lose the other hand, before wondering where his ship is, saying that Archie told them it's shielded somehow. Hook confirms this, telling the three to follow him and saying that he doesn't know what they expect to find as Cora won't be there. David suggests that maybe she left something behind, telling them where she went, before pushing Hook forward and telling him to continue leading them. Leroy tells the pirate not to try and pull any funny business as he's watching him, and Hook sarcastically tells the dwarf that that should deter him from any mouthy essence. Mary Margaret tells Leroy not to worry as Hook will help them, and the pirate asks what makes her so sure. "Because you're a pirate," Mary Margaret says, "You know which way the wind blows, and right now it is gusting towards us."

Hook leans in seductively and tells Snow that he sees where her daughter got her gumption. Mary Margaret rolls her eyes before Hook again tells them to follow him, before walking onto his invisible pirate ship. Leroy, Mary Margaret and David are next seen stepping through the barrier and onto the wooden decks. The dwarf points out that Hook sailed the ship from their land and asks if he could sail it back. Hook explains that his ship is a marvel made from enchanted wood and that he and she have ridden out many a storm together and seen many strange, glittering shores, but to travel between lands, she must go through a portal. As the four of them spread out across the ship's decks, Leroy remaining close to the pirate, David asks to Hook what he knows of Cora's plans. He tells the prince that Cora isn't the most communicative of lasses and doesn't care about her and how she is putting him into her business but he will tell them this: whatever matter she has in mind, her weapon of choice is "in here", he says whilst tapping a box concealed by a covering. David nods towards Leroy and the tow of them strip the covering to reveal a cage, and inside is the giant that Emma encountered at the top of the beanstalk in the fairytale land that is, except he's sleeping, and human-sized. Mary Margaret stares at him, as does everyone else, and asks who it is.

Hook, David, Mary Margaret, and Leroy are still seen staring at the sleeping giant as the latter realizes that Cora used magic to make him travel-size. Hook states that what she intends to do is important and David points out that Hook probably knows exactly what Cora 'intends to do' and accuses the pirate of holding out on them. Hook suggests that David get his lovely wife to torture it out of him as it should be lovely for them both but David grabs Hook by the throat and pins him up against a ship ornament, suggesting that the two of them have a little fun. Hook tells the prince that he doesn't know what Cora's planning, taking the key to the cage from the pocket and telling them to wake the "bloody giant" and ask him themselves. Mary Margaret sets down her bow and takes the key from Hook, placing it into the cage's lock and placing the padlock on top, before and opening the door. Snow then gently taps Anton on the shoulder, causing him to wake up in shock, and assures him that it's alright as he's safe now. The giant then stands up and Mary Margaret helps him out of the cage, asking him what his name is. He tells her that it's Anton, looking around and wondering where "that witch" is, clearly referring to Cora.

Mary Margaret tells him that she's gone, and Anton asks what she did, taking one look at himself and realizing that she made him small. David turns Anton around and says that they should get him out of there, but Anton takes one look at David's face and says, "You..." "Me?" David asks. "You!" Anton exclaims, punching David in the face and causing him to be flipped over the ship's platform and land on some packages. Leroy attempts to wrestle the giant but is thrown down the stairs by him. Anton then approaches David who grabs his gun, but the giant kicks it from out of his hand before an arrow is seen flying past his face, hitting the rim of the ship behind him. Anton turns to the source of the arrow to see Mary Margaret, aiming her loaded bow at him. "Step away from my husband," she requests, and Anton exclaims that they may have him outnumbered but that this isn't over, looking and David and saying that he hasn't forgotten what he did and that he'll pay for his evil, before the giant runs off of the ship, exclaiming, "I promise! You'll pay!" Mary Margaret lowers her bow in confusion and David begins to stand up, also confused by the giant's words.

Captain Hook is by the docks and places a Queen of Hearts playing a card down on the ground, which is clearly a summoning call for Cora, but no one seems to appear even though it was her idea that if he wants to see here, she isn't there. He then turns to see Regina, who asks him if he was expecting her mother, "the one you were supposed to kill". Hook says that he didn't want to deprive her of a happy reunion, and Regina tells him that it's his lucky day as she and she have made amends, and Hook wonders if she's there to thank him. Regina states that Cora wants to know if the Charming's' found the ship, and Hook tells Regina to relay that Cora can ask him herself. The mayor tells Hook that Cora decided it wouldn't be prudent for her to be out and about and the pirate states that it's his lucky day, telling Regina to tell her mother that they found the ship. Regina wonders if he got Cora's things off it, but Hook tells her that he's been tied up in bed (and not in a good way). "She needs her things," Regina tells him, and Hook says that he bets she does, before telling Regina the "good news" that a giant got loose from "the hole". Regina seems amused by the notion that Hook lost a giant, but he argues that it was a shrunken one, and Regina wonders how that is good news. "Well, because," Hook starts, "When he got free, he took one look at the prince and became extremely murderous." Regina takes a moment to contemplate this, before stating, "A giant in town who wants to kill the prince... This is just the distraction we need." Hook agrees, telling her that it is however as he thought about it again, he decides that what he had just done wasn't good form and to gain his love's heart to love him again, he must get to her parents. He curses silently as he goes to his ship and enjoys his flask once more before finding the parents.

By Storybrooke lake in the town forest, Anton is seen sitting beside it on a log as footsteps are heard approaching, belonging to Regina. He sees her and immediately stands up, telling her to get away from him, but she professes that she's there to help him. He says that she's human, who he hates, and warns her not to come any closer when she takes a few further steps, or else he'll kill her. Regina merely laughs at this, saying that she hears he's in town because he wants to kill someone and she can help as she has no love for the prince either, and if Anton wants to destroy the town to get to him, then she's happy to do her part. She takes a white, blue-tipped bar from beneath the fur covering she's carrying and tells Anton that it will make it bigger, handing it to him and return him to his former glory. Anton looks at Regina before taking the mushroom from her. He looks from it to her and she nods, encouraging him to eat it, which he does. As soon as he takes a bite, we are shown the giant's vision as blue smoke surrounds him and he looks at Regina, who becomes further away as he grows larger. The mayor cackles, looking up at him, and tells him to get to work as the two of them both know that the mushroom won't last forever. He is heard loudly and powerfully stomping away, causing rumbles in the earth as he does so.

In the streets of Storybrooke, Mary Margaret is seen cautiously emerging from behind a fence, David not far behind, to see Anton, now giant thanks to Regina's mushroom, terrorizing the town. He tells the citizens to run, lifting someone's car and throwing it towards Snow and Charming, causing them to duck as it crashes down on the ground just inches from them. Anton continues to stomp through the streets and David and Mary Margaret run after him, encountering scared villagers who David tells to get to the town hall and bring anyone they find on the way, and somebody get Leroy. As they slow down, Mary Margaret comments that she guesses they found their giant, saying that she didn't think he would be so... "Giant?" David asks, and Mary Margaret tells him that it was her mistake. David asks her if she's ever stopped one before and she answers negatively, causing him to say, "Well, here's to new firsts," and run towards Anton. The prince tells the giant to wait, saying that he doesn't have to do this, but Anton states that he does as David destroyed everything in his life and now, he's going to know what that feels like.

David explains to Anton that the man who hurt him was his twin brother, James, who he was separated at birth from, causing him to be raised by a ruthless king. As David says this, Leroy is seen running towards the royal couple and joining Mary Margaret. "You're not James?" Anton asks, and David answers negatively, causing Anton to ask where James is. David explains that he paid the ultimate price for his arrogance - he's dead, and there is nothing more Anton can do to him. Mary Margaret runs closer to David and exclaims that they're on Anton's side and they're good. "We're here because of you! You know our daughter, Emma, you gave her the magic compass!" Mary Margaret reminds him, Anton remembers Emma and requests to talk to her, as if she says they're okay, then he'll stop. Mary Margaret pauses, having to say to Anton that Emma's "kind of out of town", but that when she gets back, she knows she'll really want to talk to him. Anton denotes this as very convenient, saying that everyone he's looking for isn't around - "All you humans do is lie, and cheat, and kill, and I'm sick of it!" Anton begins running towards the Charming's and Leroy as the three of them run away in fear.

Mary Margaret, David, and Leroy are still seen running through the streets of Storybrooke, being chased by the giant Anton, and Leroy wants to get something straight, bringing up Charming's twin brother, whose name is James. Charming confirms this and Leroy becomes confused as his name is James, but Charming reveals that it's not. As Anton gets stuck behind an electrical wire, Leroy asks if his name is Charming, but Mary Margaret says that's a nickname she gave him, and Leroy asks what the hell is his name is as they turn a corner and Anton frees himself from the wires. "David," the prince replies, and Leroy seems surprised to hear it's his cursed name. David says that it's his real name and Leroy says, "David, James and Charming," asking if David is a middle name or something, but Charming says that it's his real name. "You know what? I'm gonna call you whatever I damn well please!" the dwarf exclaims as the three of them continue to run towards the docks. Mary Margaret asks her husband what the plan is, and David says that they need to lead the giant away somewhere he can't hurt anyone, but Snow points out that if they keep heading in the direction they're going in, they're going to hit the town line. David tells them he has a "new plan" and stops running, turning around to see Anton duck under an electrical wire and approach them.

As David steps towards the giant, Mary Margaret asks what he's doing, and he replies that he's "giving him what he wants". David suggests to Anton that the two of them make a deal, but the giant replies that he doesn't make deals with humans. The prince requests to be heard out, saying that he'll sacrifice himself to Anton if Anton will spare the lives of everyone in Storybrooke. Snow approaches her husband and tells him that he can't do this, but he tells his wife that if he doesn't, then the whole town will suffer, and he can't allow that. "Well, what do you say?!" he asks Anton, and the giant replies, "Deal," before running over to the Charming's and taking a dramatic leap, however, Mary Margaret pushes herself and David out of the way and when Anton lands, a large hole is left in the ground. As Charming, Snow, and Grumpy get to their feet, Anton is seen inside the hole with the top half of his body poking out, before blue smoke is seen appearing all around him as the effects of the mushroom ware off, causing him to shrink within the hole. Mary Margaret asks where he went, but David tells her that he's not sure, and he, Snow and Leroy approach the hole in the concrete. Inside, they see Anton, hanging from a sewer pipe he's clutching, dangerously close to falling to his death.

David steps out of his van as Leroy runs over to the hole with rope. The prince tells the dwarf that that better hold, and Leroy nods, assuring him that it will. Granny steps in, taking hold of the end of the rope and attaching it to the back of David's van, and as Mary Margaret, the dwarfs and some other townspeople grab on to the rope, Charming approaches the hole's edge. Leroy and Mary Margaret do the same, having walked the rope over there, before throwing it down near where the hanging Anton is. The dwarfs grip the rope tightly, and before David does what he's about to do, Mary Margaret kisses him passionately, telling him that most people would let that giant die after what he's done. "You wouldn't," he tells her, before wrapping the rope around his waist and gripping his hands firmly around it, telling Anton that he's coming down. Anton remains silent as David begins lowering himself down, scaling down the side of the hole as the townspeople continue to keep the rope stable.

Soon enough, David makes it down to where Anton is and extends his arm, telling the giant to take his hand. Anton, still gripping the pipe, exclaims, "No!" and David questions this. Anton explains that he doesn't want to go back up there and that he should just let go. David exclaims that he'll die, but Anton says that maybe death hurts less than life. The Prince shakes his head, saying that if Anton really wanted to die, he would have let go already, before again instructing him to take his hand. Anton makes a large contemplation before eventually gripping Charming's hand with his own, and the townspeople watch in hope as those working the rope begin to pull the two of them out of the hole. Soon enough, Anton's hand grips the edge of the hole and he's pulled to safety before the same is done for David. Mary Margaret hugs her husband before the two of them approach Anton, acknowledging that they saved his life. "That's what we do," Snow tells him, happily, and Anton thanks them. "You're welcome," Leroy says before David says that not everyone's the same, as whatever James did to him, that's not them. Anton begins to think back, telling David, "You have no idea..."

From a little way afar, Killian Jones watches the whole scene of the giant vs the Charming's with their friend that's a dwarf. After his drink he quickly found the giant and the heroes, when he did, he decided to hang out in a back way knowing how the parents and citizens will react to him as if he were changing sides. Due to the very uniqueness of the Circumstance that Hook is in with memories coming in different parts when he goes to sleep, he walks and jogs following the trail that the giant is taking. As he keeps watching how his wife's parents are doing with the situation. Though at one point he thought to get out of the back way to try and help with the giant before the mess the giant did when he was shrunken and was literally holding on to his life. It seems that as close as it seems to try and settle things down, the heroes took care of the situation as fast and calmly. Then when they saved Anton, everybody disperses away, and as they disperse to their own business, Hook goes back to his ship.

A couple of hours later in Storybrooke, after the giant incident, Snow has been thinking from her thoughts that were in her mind that she pushed away from what has had happened in the Enchanted Forest. About an hour or two David has got word that Hook was also on the prowess of the giant however he was cleverly hidden. Even though he didn't get in with the giant and rather saw the whole scene that was told by a citizen, David decided to talk about this with his wife. She is confused by this and doesn't know what Hook would want with a giant. It's a great question then they remember that he has no intentions with Cora, which means he probably most likely doesn't have any intentions with Anton, however, why was he also on the trail of the giant. Where did his intentions lie?

Now here is Mary Margaret and David at the docks trying to find the ship, knowing that it's invisible. When they found the ship, because of the oddities of what is happening on the ship, they found and remembered where the plank was, as they got on the ship and a couple of meters away await Captain Hook also known as Killian Jones, as he just entered the deck.

When he saw them, he was surprised that they were here uninvited, however, he will forget about that because they don't know they're all related. So, he relents. "Hello, your majesties what are you doing on my ship?" he says.

"We need to talk," David says.

"What about?" Killian asks.

"Several things actually, like why were you on the trail from the giant incident earlier and what is go on about you and Emma." Mary Margaret says.

"First what are your intentions with the giant? Why were you on the trail towards the giant?" David confidently says.

"I don't have any intentions to do with the giant," Killian says.

"If you didn't have any intentions with Anton, then why were you on the trail towards him?" Mary Margaret asks immediately.

"Making sure everything was alright your majesty. There's no harm in that, is it not?" Hook says thinking he can't let anything out that would trigger anything that would lead to Emma. Like earlier, he decided to be in the back because no can know where his true loyalties lie. This is what he needed to do, for the unique circumstance he's in and not show his true side until his and Emma's curse breaks until they can remember; there's not much to do.

What the pirate has said was a shocking statement made from him and as that rolls in Mary Margaret's and David's minds. Even more so for David as he keeps thinking, he found the reason why. Why he brings up his protective side towards his only daughter. "You were doing this for Emma."

Killian Jones didn't say anything. By doing that the silent truth came out and yet he was trying what he did wrong, how he led to them to that statement. He looked back to what he said, and he believed that he was positively sure he made no remark about Emma.

Mary Margaret gasps in shock and seeing the pirate's reaction is what it all takes to learn the truth, that he cares about Emma. She watches as her husband and the pirate, how everything in the air becomes tense that everything was escalating fast. She doesn't know what to do about it however deep down there is something more about Captain Hook and Emma. She doesn't know what it is however she knows this is not the time to talk about it.

"Let me tell you, **Pirate** ," David starts to exclaim, "You are not going to get her, she **is not a prize to be won.** "

"I know that **she** **is not a prize to be won, your majesty**." Hook spats out then he takes a breath of air of the sea and then said in his full confidence. "I will tell you this however, I promise that I will win her heart and it won't be because of trickery, it would be because she wants me. If that is all you've come here for, then you can leave the ship."

David and Mary Margaret then leaves the ship. David in full astonishment of what he said anger him however Mary Margaret was amused between the conversation between her husband and Captain Hook. When she heard Hook talking that he will get Emma without trickery astounds her, to how he said that with full of confidence and with certainty. At this moment as she walks along with her husband back to their apartment, she knows that she wants to talk to Hook alone soon.

As the day pasts and Emma along with her son Henry and Mr. Gold are sitting down on an airplane about to take off to New York City. She wonders how the day has gone by in Storybrooke, hoping nothing happened and yet she is wondering what will happen when they arrive there. Whatever happens in New York City is not going to be good for her, as she feels something bad is going to happen there.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: I hate Surprises**

After the plane ride and when Emma, Henry and Rumpelstiltskin are finally in their own perspective rooms at the hotel, they immediately freshen up and fell asleep.

 _Captain Killian Jones along with his wife Emma and their sixteen-year-old daughter Felicity were docked at a port, they all had a good time in the early morning to which Emma and Felicity both relented to a no and due to Killian's insistence that they spend time together as a family, Emma and Felicity woke up early to spend their time together. For a couple of hours everything was good, and Emma was happy, she didn't know if this was the best time to tell them, but she thought maybe she could do it tonight._

 _"I've got to tell you something tonight. It's definitely good news." Emma said while Killian and Felicity were looking until night comes. Then a minute later, a man with crocodile features with a creepy giggle of laughter was relived was brought to their attention. When the Jones family caught his attention, he poofed himself and the family away._

 _"Who are you, you bloody demon!" Killian said with panic and the feeling all the family were experienced somehow tripled._

 _"I am Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One of all the realms." The Dark One Spoken._

 _"What do you want from us?" Killian asked again._

 _"Oh, actually I don't want anything from you three. However, I've to fix this mess which you" he points to Emma and giggles, "started when you arrived here about eighteen years ago. The Dark One that preceded me which includes myself as well have been trying to find you for a very long time. Now that I've found you, I've got to make everything right."_

 _"What did I do?" Emma asked curious of what she changed. "What did I change?"_

 _"Straight to the point, I like that." Rumpelstiltskin said along with the rolling eyes coming from the family. "Ever since you came here you changed destiny, fate, and alas since you brought too many changes, I've to fix them myself." He turns to the youngest person there, he looks at her thinking what shall he do with her, but he can save her for last, so he poofed her in smoke and she was gone._

 _"FELICITY! Emma and Killian shouted when they saw the smoke when they saw their only daughter was taken away from them._

 _Then the Dark One returns to the couple. He first deaged them, made them younger, to the age Emma was when she arrived here, while Killian was only a couple of years younger. After he did that, he opens a portal for Emma, cursed her from the memories that she has made throughout the years, ever since she arrived at this land. Then made her go in the portal while that happens, Killian shouts his wife's name._

" No!" Emma shouted when the dream ended and immediately gets waken up from what she has just seen, from her dream, her memory. Now that she is wide awake, she looks around and could see her son Henry stirring up next to her most likely getting waked up by her. He then rouses up, looks at his mother, and says "mom are you okay?" He asks worriedly.

"It was only a bad dream kid, don't worry," Emma says then she sees what time it is, and it was only around nine o'clock in the morning. "Come on Henry let's get dressed quick so we can have a quick breakfast."

As Emma got dressed quickly, she spotted her phone, and since Henry is still in the bathroom, a quick call to Killian sounded perfect. To her amazement, he picked up and talked quickly about her getting the dream and her being wary with the predicament she finds herself in with Mr. Gold. Then she ended the call and went to the bathroom.

Back at Storybrooke Mary Margaret goes to the docks and climbs up the plank to the Jolly Roger. There she sees a surprised Captain Hook on deck.

"Your majesty, what are you doing here on my ship in this fine morning?" Killian asks.

"While I'm not here with what my husband did last night, I'm here to learn more about what is going on between you and my daughter." He starts to raise his hand however before that happens Mary Margaret insisted that she's not done talking. "I know that there is more to it and I want to know why."

Before he can say anything, the sound of phone rings. Knowing that it wasn't her phone, she was shocked to see that the pirate has gotten a phone. When he picked up the phone, he walked quite some distance away from her as he takes his call.

"Hello Killian, you picked up the phone that's good, I thought you might have some problems and not answer the first ring."

"Hello Emma, love, and no the directions you gave me were simple and efficient. So, what has happened that you need to call me my love?"

"You said that if I got the dream about our last memory, you said I should talk to you. Well, I got it and I'm freaking out over here Killian. With Gold here, I don't know if I can trust him, all that I want to do the first thing I see him is to punch him in the face. Do you have any advice, Killian?"

As Killian hears Emma's frantic voice and the words that she is saying, he can tell that she doesn't know what to do. So, he takes a breath and gives an answer. "Love if I were you, I would be cautious around him and act as nothing has happened, so he won't suspect a thing. Emma, we don't have all the memories back yet until our curse is broken, so relax and act normal."

"Thanks, Killian, anyway Henry is going to come out of the bathroom now, so I'll talk to you later okay bye."

"You're going to call me back later love? Well I'm honored to know how much you love me Emma, remember you're a Swan and a Jones goodbye love." Emma laughs and rolled her eyes as if he was there with him, said goodbye to him again for the final time before she hanged up her phone.

When the call was finished, Killian left his phone where it was before then walked back to Mary Margaret waiting and knowing the conversation that they're going to be having.

"I didn't know you had a phone there, Captain and much less how to use one. Where did you get it?" Mary Margaret said, almost knowing the answer he would say would be confirmation enough.

"It was a gift from your daughter Emma if you must know. She gave it to me before she left the town with her lad and that crocodile." He said with bitter taste knowing the crocodile, that monster of Rumpelstiltskin is with them.

"Emma went to see you yesterday. You must be important to her to see before she left Storybrooke, can you tell me why Captain?" She pauses thinking maybe she should say more to get her answer ever since she came out of the Enchanted Forest with Emma. "Last night you said to my husband that you will get Emma to you without any trickery, you said it in full confidence, and I can't say that I was amused through the whole conversation between you and David. Why do you have full confidence that you will get Emma's heart?"

Hook has heard of the great tales that happened in the last few years of the Enchanted Forest. He heard tales of the Snow White along with her lover, Prince Charming and her friends varying from werewolves, dwarves, and fairies trying to fight away with the Evil Queen Regina. He heard them all while he was close to the port in the Enchanted Forest, while he was on the seas. He didn't think then that he will be related to them, but ever since meeting Emma Swan again, things have become clearer in the edges. Anyway, with all these tales that he had heard each person about them like Snow White becoming an inspirational leader while hunting down her stepmother, fighting to do what's right for her and her kingdom. As he looks to Snow White is now known as Mary Margaret, he could see from what the tales that has spoken of her has come to live, for the first time he acknowledges of who this woman is to him and that he has seen of that little bit of a Snow White left in her, he could say that he is somewhat proud to be related to her although she doesn't know that they are in-laws.

"I've met Emma before, and I know her very well. I can't say how as today is not the day for anyone to learn the truth however one day you will all learn the truth, your highness."

"That's it!" Mary Margaret says annoyed. "That's all I'm going to get from you Captain Hook, that you have met Emma before and know her. I need more information than that Hook!"

"Sorry your majesty but that is all I can tell you."

"When will be that day Captain?"

"That's the question we both want to know, do we, your majesty. Here's a hint for your troubles Snow White, we both don't remember and when we remember will be the day for all to know." Hook said.

With that, Mary Margaret looked at him and leaves the ship. She then looks back in that royal perspective as Snow White was in those days as she planned with her lover and friends to get her kingdom back from her stepmother. Instead, this time she is bound to learn more, she is bound to get help and to have hope, to be optimistic that she will know. She sighs and goes back to her apartment, to David.

Shortly after she had left, Hook grunted realizing he was asked to go to Regina's home where Regina and Cora will be talking about plans about how to get rid of Rumpelstiltskin as well. So, he left his ship and walks thinking of what is going to happen when he gets there. He arrives there a little late but before he announces himself, he hears them talking, so he is going to listen if they're going to do anything to his family which included the Charming's. At Regina's house, in her bedroom, Cora sits with her daughter on her bed asking her what's the matter. Regina says that it's Henry, that Emma left town with Gold and she took him with her. Cora wonders why Regina didn't stop them, but her daughter informs her that she didn't know until after they'd gone. Assuring Regina of Henry's safety, Cora states that once Gold is finished, he'll bring him back. "But not with me," Regina points out. After that Hook finds this opportune moment to make his entrance and to also gain more insight, he needs to act like his Captain Hook self, not the Killian Jones that is coming back, so he needs them to believe that's he a villain and, on their side, unfortunately. Captain Hook goes into the bedroom and wonders where exactly Mr. Gold shall be coming "back" from. Regina tells him that she doesn't know, and Hook adds, "Well, if he's left town, then he's powerless. He can be killed." At this, Cora tells her pirate comrade that the moment either of them leaves town, they lose their magic and their advantage. Hook asks if their memories are included in these losses, but Regina explains that none of them were victims of the curse, therefore, it's not about memories, it's about magic. The pirate says that he doesn't need magic and can go after him alone, but Regina stands and asks even if Hook could find Rumpelstiltskin if he really thinks he can just walk up to him in the street and stab him with his sword. "Well, I'd prefer my hook, but I can't find that now," Hook says before Cora tells him that he's not going anywhere. The captain exclaims that he deserves his vengeance and Cora stands, telling him he's right but that with the Dark One gone, they can search for the one magical item that can kill him within Storybrooke - his dagger.

In the library, Regina is searching through books, as are Cora and Hook, as the latter asks if they shouldn't be ransacking Gold's shop or searching his home. Regina tells him that that would be the obvious choice, but that Gold wouldn't risk crossing the town line and losing his memory without entrusting the dagger's location to someone. Hook realizes that she means Belle, and Regina states that her guess is she hid it in one of her beloved books. Cora tells her daughter that her sleuth work is impressive, and Regina sincerely thanks her mother. Hook tells them that he'll be impressed when he's holding the dagger in his hand, and Regina finds the place where the numbers on Belle's paper indicated, seeing that no dagger is there. The pirate asks if they may go now but Cora tells him to hold on before pulling out a large, folded up sheet of paper. She unfolds it and wonders what it is; Hook inspects and tells her that to the untrained eye, it looks like a child's scribbles, but to a pirate, it's a map. He carries the map over to the table and says that Gold may not have hidden the dagger there, but he's left them the next-best thing: its location. Cora asks Hook if he can read it, to which he replies, "Well, lucky for you ladies, I'm quite adept at finding buried treasure." As he first saw the map to where the supposed dagger is supposed to be, he immediately knows that this is the map where Baelfire is, where Emma, Henry, and Rumpelstiltskin are at, oh how he wishes to go over there and protect her. Then in the background, Regina and Cora talk to each other while Hook was ignoring them. While they didn't hear anything from the captain, they knocked him out.

"Captain Hook is acting strange don't you think Regina?" Cora asked Regina.

"I don't know, it's not like I'd been in long lengthy conservations with the guyliner since you're most curious then why don't you ask him a question, mother?" Regina snarky replied, not even caring of the Captain. So, she listens to her mom asked a question to him however much to her surprise he didn't reply, seeing he was very distracted. So Cora blacked him out with her magic while they quickly talked and seemed to be in agreement with what to do with Captain Hook, they've decided that they will find the dagger here while he can kill Rumpelstiltskin, however, has the Captain have the guild to kill him? So, Regina got a dreamcatcher in her hands, handed it to her mother and placed it in front of Captain Hook, who is still unconscious. While they did that, they found their answer and with shock as they saw the savior there as well along with their daughter, as the memories are flying back and forth from the past to the present. There was still shock present in their faces as they think of a plan for him to kill the Dark One, when they've finally agreed towards a plan, they woke him up and cast a spell on him, so that they will succeed without taking his heart out, besides when the deed is done he will be aware with his surroundings as he walks out of the library and towards his ship with determined to get to the Dark One. Then when they get back, Cora will make sure that her daughter will be happy when getting her son back.

At New York after breakfast they met up with Mr. Gold after they were to find his long-lost son, Emma gets the same feeling she had while they were in the plane before they took off from Boston to New York. The feeling was the one and the same and it somehow intensified. So, they went to where he lives in the apartment building. There, Henry is inspecting the buzzers labeled with the apartments' residents as Emma and Gold stand behind him, he states that there's no "Baelfire" to be seen. Emma cuts in, telling her son that that wouldn't fly as an alias before asking Gold whether his magic globe gave him an apartment number, alas, he tells her that it doesn't work that way. Henry asks the pawnbroker if any of the names mean anything to him but Gold answers negatively, despite names being what he traffics in. Emma, inspecting the buzzers herself, points out apartment number 407, which has no name labeled to it, telling Gold that that's the home of his son. The latter argues that it could just be vacant but Emma replies, "You might traffic in names and magic, but I traffic in finding people who don't want to be found, and those sort of folks don't go advertising their whereabouts." The blonde presses the buzzer, stating through the intercom that she has a UPS package for 407, there is no reply. Henry suggests that maybe she should have said "FedEx", but the next thing heard is the sound of footsteps on the fire escape, and Emma says that Bae's running. The three of them step outside where a man with a hood covering his face is seen running down the fire escape of the building and climbing down to the pavement. As Emma is about to intervene, Gold tells her, "That favor you owe me, this is it. Get him to talk to me; I-I can't run." Emma tells Gold to watch Henry and that she'll be back, before chasing Gold's son down the sidewalk. The chase advances and Baelfire is seen running across the road with Emma not far behind, he runs into an alley and around a corner, but Emma runs through the adjacent alleyway, the two of them then running side-by-side but with a store between them. As Baelfire runs, Emma emerges from another corner and tackles him, causing them both to fall to the ground. Emma sits up and takes one look at Baelfire, then everything comes crashing down with only one look, she is shocked to see him again as she replies "No..." she says as Neal Cassidy stares back at her. "Neal?" she asks. "Emma," he states.

Emma couldn't believe what she is seeing as she sees Neal Cassidy again. Oh, the fates must like her, she thought. She can't believe she is with Neal Cassidy again, the last time she saw him was before getting the watches and then he was gone, and she was placed in prison for eleven months. Oh, how she feels her hatred of him for doing that to her, leaving her with a delicate situation when she arrived there. Then she remembers that Neal isn't Henry's father, it's Killian no doubt that she knows now, while most of her memory is still hazy the important ones never flickered. At this moment she doesn't know what to do. This is one of the reasons why she hates surprises, is that you'll never know what's going to happen and for her, it mostly turns out to be bad. She truly hated surprises.

 **AN: If you are wondering what Regina and Cora from Hook were the memories that we've already seen, the scenes include the opening of this chapter's memories, including when Emma went to the dock to talk to Hook from the ending of Chapter eight, so they now know the primary gist between Emma and him. Since they are both witches they know about their curse because they can sense as it was powerful. As they went through his memories, they were still blurry and hazy, signifying the powerful curse. Seeing his memories was proof that he and Emma are still under the curse.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Manhattan**

Still on the ground staring at each other, Emma and Neal stand up and the latter says that he doesn't understand, asking the blonde what she's doing there. "What am I doing here?" she asks, almost insulted, but Neal nods, prompting Emma to tell him that she's not answering anything until he tells her the truth, asking him if he's Gold's son. Neal appears to have no idea what she's talking about, not knowing who Gold is, but she next states out that Neal played her, he and Gold. Neal tells her to slow down, wondering what she's talking about and asking again who Gold is. Emma responds that he is Neal's father - Rumpelstiltskin - and Neal is taken aback, asking her if Rumple is there. She points out that there would be no other reason for her being in New York, but Neal angrily demands to know why she would bring his father to him. Emma exclaims that she's the only one who's allowed to be angry, asking Neal if he knew who she was and where she was from the entire time they were together, if it was all some sort of sick, twisted plan and if he even cared about her at all. He tries to calm her down and she yells that she wants the truth, all of it, but he tells her that they need to get off of the street first and not discuss it out in the open as he has spent a lifetime running from his father and isn't going to let him find him, he suggests that they go to the bar at the end of the street. Furious, Emma shouts that she's not drinking with him and whatever he's going to tell her, he can tell her now. "No, a bar's better. Don't worry, you can keep yelling at me when we get there," he says calmly before walking away, gesturing her to follow him. A shocked Emma walks after him in frustration.

Over at the bar, Neal asks Emma what she wants to know, saying that if she wants the truth, she can ask away. Immediately, Emma questions if Neal knew who she was when they met, but he replies that if he had, he wouldn't have gone near her. "Come on..." she says, but he wonders what she means, explaining that he was in hiding and that he came to this land to get away from "all that crap". Emma takes this to mean that, since he didn't know, he was just using her and needed someone to take the fall for all the watches he stole. Neal assures her that this isn't true, telling her that when they met, he didn't know who she was, however, he found out later. Emma wonders how and Neal informs her that when he went to sell the watches, he ran into a friend of hers, August.

Emma is furious to discover that Neal left her and landed her in prison because Pinocchio told him to. Neal tries to talk, but Emma interrupts him by stating that she loved him. Flustered, he assures Emma that he was trying to help her. "By letting me go to jail?" she asks, but he amends her in saying, "By getting you home." She asks him if he's telling her that their meeting is a coincidence, wondering how the hell that happened if it wasn't in his plan or his father's. Neal tells Emma to think about it, saying that Rumple wanted her to break the curse and that the meeting was perhaps fate. The blonde is surprised that Neal believes in that and he goes on to say that there's not a ton he remembers about his father that doesn't suck, but he used to tell him that there weren't any coincidences. Everything that happens by design, and there's nothing anyone can do about it as a force greater than them conspired to make it happen. "Fate, destiny, whatever you wanna call it, the point is... maybe us meeting happened for a reason. Maybe something good came from us being together," he suggests, causing a pause in Emma. As they stare at each other, Emma says no, saying that there's nothing she can think of and that all that happened is she went to jail. The blonde stands up, stating that it doesn't matter now as she's over it, and him. As she puts her coat back on, Neal asks her why she still wears the key chain he got for her, pointing it out around her neck. Emma clutches it and pulls it off, handing it back to Neal and telling him that she wears it to remind herself never to trust someone again. "Come on," she says, "I made a deal with your father I'd bring you to him." Neal is surprised that Emma made a deal with him and she says that she's upholding her end, despite him telling her that she doesn't have to. Emma smiles, saying that she knows, and Neal tells her that this should be easy for her as she can tell his father that she lost him or can't find him, and if she does that, she never has to see him again. Emma pauses, contemplating this then leaves.

After leaving Neal, she immediately pulls her phone out and calls Killian. After hearing many rings repeatedly, along with trying to call him again endlessly she finally stops and contemplates he must be busy. She called him once and he answered the first time and now he doesn't make her think; she hopes that nothing bad will happen. Then she thinks whether she calls her mother, Mary Margaret, in the end, she puts her phone away and goes back to Mr. Gold and her son Henry. When she got back to them, she lies to Gold saying that he went away, that he was too fast even though they have collided with each other and he had a better reflex to getting back up and run away.

Mr. Gold runs his hand along with every apartment buzzer, calling on them all, which leads to the security gate to open. Emma asks him what he's doing as he walks through, to which he replies that he's finding his son. Emma reminds the pawnbroker that his son is gone, but Gold points out that he lives in this building and shall return, and when he does, he'll be waiting.

Gold is next seen walking up to Neal's apartment, followed by Henry and Emma, the latter of which keeps reminding him that she can't a break-in. Gold states that breaking in is something he's quite adept at, before beginning to pick the lock, and Emma tries to tell him that Bae might not come back. Gold says that finding people is what Emma does and that he's merely going to assist her. He takes out a wire and puts it into the lock, beginning to move it around. He tells Emma that inside the apartment, there will be information, who Bae is, what he does, who he loves, etc. As Gold continues to pick the lock, Emma tells him that he can't do this as there are these things called laws, at which Henry tells her that he'll keep a lookout. Emma doesn't have time to respond to this, warning Gold that he could get arrested, but Rumple points out that if he does, his son will have to testify against him, and they'll be reunited once more. Emma sighs and Gold manages to unlock the door, pushing it open.

The door to Baelfire's apartment opens and Mr. Gold walks in, looking around. He is soon followed by Henry and Emma, the latter of which continues to tell him that they really shouldn't be there. Henry states that he doesn't think Gold is listening as the pawnbroker proceeds to inspect more of the apartment and Emma shuts the door cautiously. As Henry snoops also, Emma is stunned to see something hanging on the window - a dream catcher, one that Neal and she had stolen 11 years previously. Emma takes down the dream catcher and holds it in her hands, taking a closer look. Gold sees this and asks Emma if she's found something, to which the blonde replies it's nothing, saying it just looks like a dream catcher. Gold asks why, if it's nothing, she's still holding it, before accusing Emma of lying to him. Emma suggests that they get back to looking, hanging the dream catcher back above the window, but Gold refuses, knowing that Emma saw something and demanding that she tell him. She tries to tell him that he doesn't know what he's talking about, but before she can spit out her full sentence, he barks, "Tell me!" Emma tells Henry to go wait in the bathroom, despite the kid arguing that he can help, however, Emma exclaims for him to go, and Henry obliges. The blonde tells Gold that there's nothing in the apartment and that the guy's a ghost, but Gold asks her if she thinks him a fool, saying that he knows she's holding something back but wants to know what it is and why she's doing so. Emma tries to defend herself before Gold buts in again, asking if Bae told her something. She attempts to reason with him, but he asks again, this time more loudly, causing Emma to yell that he didn't say anything. Gold takes this to mean that she did talk to him but Emma requests that he not put words in her mouth. "Tell me! You tell me, or I'm gonna make you tell me," Rumple promises. Emma reminds him that he doesn't have magic there, but Gold approaches her, saying he doesn't need it. She asks him if he's going to do this and he warns her not to push him before she tells him the same thing. "We had a deal! A deal! No one, no one, breaks deals with me!" Gold reminds her, advancing on her violently and knocking over a trash can. "Hey!" shouts Neal Cassidy as he enters his apartment, "Leave her alone."

Mr. Gold is faced with his son for the first time in years, and utters his name, saying that he came back for him. Neal denies this, stating that he came to make sure his father didn't hurt Emma, as he's seen what he does to people who break deals. Gold begs Bae to just let him talk but Neal says that he has no interest in talking to him and asks him to leave. Rumple shakes his head, saying that he's not going anywhere, but Neal yells for him to get out of his apartment. Emma approaches Neal, but he tells the blonde that he's "got this", causing her to back down. Gold pauses as he notes the way Emma and Neal address each other, before coming to the vocal realization that the two of them know one another. Emma looks to Neal as Gold watches and he demands to know how the two of them know each other. Emma reminds the pawnbroker that it was her chasing after him, but he begs her to stop, accusing her of lying and again demanding how they know each other. Henry walks into the room and asks his mother what's going on, she puts her hands on his shoulders as Neal asks who the boy is. Emma replies that he's her son, and Neal becomes confused as Henry asks her if that's Baelfire. She does not answer, telling her son that she needs him to stay in the other room just a little while longer and trying to usher him away. Neal asks the kid how old he is, but Emma tells him not to answer, Neal asks again, this time more loudly, and Henry angrily turns around and exclaims that he's eleven, before asking why everyone's yelling.

Neal is taken aback by the boy's age and Henry turns back to Emma, who remains silent. Neal asks the blonde if Henry's his son, but the kid cuts in and explains that his father is a fireman who died. Emma stands still silently not knowing what to do, with wide eyes thinking how much she wants to tell her son the truth and for the first time in her life wishes that she have her memories, all of them intact. So, with wide eyes still beaming wishes that Killian was here, she only says, "it's umm complicated."

Neal shouts "it's complicated," he repeats and wonders out loud "what the hell does that mean, Emma?" he said still shouting to Emma not knowing what she is saying so he asks again, " is he my son Emma, yes or no it's a simple question with a very simple answer."

Emma now awakened with Neal's shouts puts her back onto reality and you know what she is tired of him, so she strings him along. "You know what Neal; everything is a freaking blur! Ever since we met, even putting me in jail **for your crimes** ," Emma says now starting to choke up with anger and rage, she never thought she'd, " I can't answer your question because I don't want you to hurt Henry, Neal you hurt me"- she starts to cry heavily sobbing everything that she held against him is finally coming out as she breathes heavily once, twice, thrice times and more she picks herself up again ready to finish what she started- "and I don't want you to hurt him whether or not you might be his father.

After her confrontation that had exploded out from the years that had built up after meeting him and everything that has to do with Neal lashed out in his apartment with his father and her son, she leaves. Getting out of his apartment, she went downstairs, went through the security gate, and went outside to get air. She needs to breathe, after seeing him again from almost eleven years ago, she needs to let it out, to calm down her harboring breathe, her wracking sobs that still feel like a fire burning. She needs this and for once in her life she feels small again, being close to him, or anything that deals with Neal is small in comparison, knowing what love is and the love you're supposed to have and at this moment she finds she's in love with Killian again. Neal was just a stranger, was just someone who she placed the thought that he's Henry's son, he was just that one guy she thought she could trust because she thought she was in love. She may not have her memories fully intact, however, she thinks that when she came back here from the Enchanted Forest, she must have met Neal after getting back here and then everything fell into place. Maybe she thinks, maybe things like fate, destiny, and coincidences are real, maybe she should believe in them when Neal was talking these things in the bar.

Then suddenly when her tears have dried, the sudden rush of air came around her and as she looks up, she is surprised to see Killian in his leather garb of clothes knowing that he's here goes past her and into the building. From looking at his face, full of determination he is being not himself, he looks more like his fairytale persona of which is Captain Hook and seeing that makes her worried. With that, she follows him back into the building and seems to be making his way towards Neal's apartment.

"Killian!" Emma shouts to him repeatedly to get to his attention but with every shout, he doesn't look back, he keeps trenching forward with determination. So, she follows him and trying anything she can do to stop whatever he is going to do.

As that chance grows dimmer and dimmer as she tries to stop him, all that she can do is to watch what's about to happen. When he opens the door to Neal's door, her shouts can still be heard and alerted to those in the apartment that something is going to wrong. Then Neal shouts "You!" as he sees the person he hates, Captain Hook striding into the apartment easily his eyes having found Rumpelstiltskin. Emma now back in Neal's apartment closes the door and sees the man she loves striking his left arm with his hook embedded into his hand into Mr. Gold's chest. As the hook gets into Mr. Gold's chest, he falls to the floor slowly with one hand on his chest and the other on his crane with wide eyes. Then Hook says with his menacing and satisfyingly voice states, "Tick tock," and pulls his bloody hook from out of the wizard's chest before adding, "Time's up crocodile."

After that Hook evaporates from his trance and Killian Jones awakens. Then Neal goes straight towards Hook and pulls up on his collar and punches him. As Emma watches everything unfolding, she shouts to Neal, "what the hell are you doing punching Hook out Neal?"

"Did you not see what he did to my father?" Neal shouts, "he stabbed him with his hook, **His Hook**!"

"I thought you hated your father." Emma says.

"I do hate him; I hate him being the Dark One and having magic; nothing ever good comes out of having magic especially dark magic."

Emma then goes to Killian making sure he was okay after her ex-boyfriend punched him and now that he'd calm down, she checks on Killian and seeing his confused face it's time to figure out what the hell happened. Then he mumbles Emma softly that way she can only hear of what he's going to say and wonders where he is and what he did he knew he hurt Rumpelstiltskin, but he doesn't know why. Then she tells him what he did.

"Gold" she starts, "is it possible to manipulate someone magically, to make them very determined to do something and when they've done the job they get out of their trance. Is it possible?" Emma asks

"Yes." Mr. Gold replied with his face full of grim and nods with understanding.

"I've talked with Hook and he doesn't remember leaving Storybrooke, he was with Cora and Regina in the library, that's the last thing he remembers."

"What were Cora and Regina doing in the library Captain Hook?" Mr. Gold said getting worried.

"They were looking for your dagger crocodile." Killian said trying to get out of his shock while acting the rogue pirate.

"We need to go back to Storybrooke. Now!" Mr. Gold said when his thoughts came true then adds, "Miss Swan you should make a phone call to your parents and inform everything that has happened, especially about the dagger that is pivotal."

Emma did what Rumpelstiltskin told her to do, she called her mom and told what they should do which is to find the dagger and telling them they're on the way to the docks and arriving by ship is the fastest way they will arrive at Storybrooke and judging the time they will most likely arrive there by night.


	12. Chapter 12

After they left Neal's apartment and went to the docks where the pirate ship stood out amongst the other boats, yachts they immediately went inside the Jolly Roger. There the six of them went along with their business, Captain Hook went to the wheel and starting to steer the ship while Neal still glares at him, Henry was smiling as he's on the Jolly Roger alone, Emma is helping Rumpelstiltskin with Neal move him to somewhere comfortable. Then when everything was done, and the ship prepped up the next thing everyone knew they were leaving Manhattan and were on their way to Storybrooke.

Emma goes back to what has happened in the moments in Neal's apartment. After calling her parents, at which the thought brings her a smile as she is starting to see Mary Margaret and David truly as her parents. She went back to their conservation as she tells them that they're coming back home as Mr. Gold is gravely injured thanks to Hook while on that end the next thing she was hearing was arresting him than Emma told them that he didn't was he was doing as he was in a magical trance. Then she talked the pivotal reason why she called and that was to find the Dark One's dagger which Regina and Cora are trying to find. Then she goes back on the way to the docks where Mr. Gold says to Hook that he forgives him. From that moment on Neal continuously glared at him as he can't forgive Captain Hook especially after his experience with him through the years of Neverland.

After about an hour being on the seas Henry goes to his mom asking permission if he could ask Captain Hook teaching him how to sail. Emma gives him an okay knowing that she's fine it besides this could be father and son bonding time. She pretty knows that Killian already knows, she knows that Killian is the father of Henry she can't tell her son yet as much as she wishes she could tell him. She then watches the scene of Henry asking Killian and from the looks of things, it looks that Killian has agreed to teach him. She smiles at the scene before her eyes, how they look together as father and son, at her family that they've created. It helped to see this and truly she knows without a doubt that Killian is a great father, not of what she is seeing currently but also the dreams she seen with Felicity. They look great together and with her as well, it makes her smile, even more, knowing that somehow deep inside of her down in her instincts she knows that it's close to being a complete family.

After that, she goes to Hook at the steering wheel teaching Henry how to sail with Henry's smile that he's sailing the Jolly Roger. She laughs at the scene confirming that she's making her presence known.

"Hi, mom!" Henry says excitedly, "Look at me I'm steering a ship, well not any ship but the Jolly Roger!" Henry elaborates still can't believe that he's sailing Captain Hook's ship.

"Yeah, I can see that kid. Hey Hook, do you know where I can take a nap around here?" Emma asks.

"If you would follow me, Miss Swan, then I can show you where to go. Okay, Henry, you're doing a great job here so far and since I have to help your mom do you think you can man the Jolly for a few minutes alone lad?" Killian Jones says.

"Really?" Henry asks not believing what he's saying.

"Okay lad all you have to do is keep going straight. Think you can handle that Henry?"

"Yes, I can," Henry says confidently.

"Then I shall go help your mom and find a room for her okay lad." Henry nods his head as Hook goes down along with Emma to find her room for her. As he finds one, she goes in the room but before Hook goes back on deck, Emma stops him.

"Killian, can I talk to you quickly?" Emma asks.

"Of course, Emma love."

"Do you know about Henry? What he means to you?" Emma asked.

"I believe I do Emma." Killian starts to say pausing confirming his thoughts ever since seeing Henry for the first time since he got out of his trance. "Is he mine?" He asks softly. He looks to her eyes as she investigates his as well and starts to tell him of what she believes and what she remembers.

"When I got the dream this morning, I could also hear my thoughts and I remembered saying I have to tell you and Felicity good news on that day. I think I was pregnant. I know that he's not Neal's but ever since I came back from the Enchanted Forest, I keep looking at Henry and I know without a shadow of a doubt that he is yours. Every time I see Henry, I see you." Emma says but now she is going to admit how she feels about their situation as she could feel her eyes becoming teary. "Yes, he is your son and we can't tell him because we don't have all of our memories and it's killing me, Killian. I want to tell Henry that you're his father and there's nothing we can do about it. Nothing and I want to tell him that he has a sister, I want to tell Henry everything, about us, about Felicity, about Liam, about his family." Emma says crying this time and then Killian wraps Emma around his waist her crying into his chest. Then he whispers into her ear saying, "I know Emma, love. I know. I could promise to you that when we both get our memories back, we tell him immediately, how that sounds?"

"You're good to me Killian and I love you very much, it sounds perfect. Promise me that we can get through this?"

"Always love, I promise." He smiles then kisses her with a quick chaste on her lips then he leaves the room and goes back to the deck.

Back in Storybrooke, it was Mary Margaret's birthday a day of which she doesn't want to be reminded of because her mother died on her birthday when she was young. So she asked no presents on her birthday for that reason alone however when she heard the present wasn't from her husband she couldn't help be curious to who sent it until she saw the present itself was a Tiara note of the card she found out it was her former handmaiden Johanna. She grabs her coat, leaves the apartment, and goes off to find Johanna and reunite with her. it was nice talking to Johanna she seemed until she heard something from the woods and decides to check it out.

As Mary Margaret goes deeper in the Storybrooke woods, she is seen walking through the trees as the sound of a shovel digging at the earth draws closer and closer. Soon enough, Mary Margaret hides behind a tree, poking her head out so that she's able to see Regina and Cora, the former of which is digging before taking a map from her pocket and unfolding it. Mary Margaret watches in confusion as Cora asks her daughter if she's sure that they're digging in the right place, and Regina folds the map up once more after a closer look, answering her mother positively, saying that Hook marked clearly that Rumpelstiltskin's dagger is where they're digging. She digs her shovel back into the ground and moves a few more mounds of dirt, and Cora suggests that Hook may have lied to them. Regina sticks the shovel in the ground, taking out the map once more and naming it useless as Gold is the only one who can translate it. Cora tells her daughter not to worry, saying that this is for the best now that they know Hook's true intentions are at. Though with an air of wonder Regina voices out how they are still surprised to what they've found about the captain guyliner and the savior. Cora then says that she can reconstruct the map, but it may take some more time. "And when we find it," Cora assures a hopeful Regina, "I promise you: I'll use that dagger to force the Dark One to kill anyone you like." Mary Margaret continues to watch this conversation from behind a tree, becoming extremely worried.

After that, she goes to the sheriff's station to inform her husband of the situation that they may be in as well as telling him what she heard from them talking about their daughter and a certain pirate. When she arrives there, she tells David that "we got to talk. It's Regina; she's been lying to us. She's working with Cora to find Gold's dagger." David appears stunned, stating that the dagger controls Rumpelstiltskin and that if Cora gets it, she can force Rumple and all his power to do her bidding. As David stands up, Mary Margaret adds that Cora could also become the Dark One herself, and Charming states that neither one of those options sounds good. He says that lucky for them, they can call the man himself as he's with Emma, but as he reaches for the phone, Mary Margaret tells him that she's already tried that and sent a message, and David hangs up the phone, telling his wife that they can't just wait. Snow agrees, saying that they must buy time until they call them back or return, and David asks how. "Regina," Mary Margaret suggests, "She doesn't trust her mother; never has. If we can put some doubt in her about Cora's motives, it might slow them down." David asks Mary Margaret if she thinks Regina will so easily trust her, but Snow responds, "She doesn't need to trust me, she just needs to listen to me... and I know how to get her to do that."

She then goes to Granny's diner sitting on a table waiting for Regina. When Regina walks in she approaches to Mary Margaret and stands opposite, asking how Henry is and wondering if he's alright. Snow assures her former stepmother that he's fine, as is everything else, and Regina wonders what her son said. Mary Margaret then reveals that she didn't talk to him and Regina sits down, wondering why she's there. Mary Margaret tells her that she knows she's been lying and thought it was about time they talked about it, but Regina tells Snow that she doesn't know what she's talking about. "No more lying," Mary Margaret insists, telling Regina that she knows she's been with her mother and she knows she's looking for the dagger, but the mayor tells her teacher that what she's doing in her business. Snow warns Regina that there's a war starting and the latter agrees that that much is clear; Mary Margaret goes on to say that, lucky for Regina, she's earned enough goodwill with her to be given one last chance to choose the right side - the side of good. "Have you ever considered that maybe, perhaps, I am good? I was always the Queen; it was you who added 'Evil' to my name."

Mary Margaret tells Regina that good doesn't do what she does and asks her why she would go back to be this way after how hard she's tried. The mayor asks what it got her: "Dinner with a bunch of hypocrites who pretend they'll forgive me when, in their hearts, they know they never will. You're giving me a chance? How about I give you one: stay out of my way." Regina stands up from out of her seat and begins to leave before Mary Margaret tells her that listening to her mother is a mistake, but Regina doubts that listening to Snow will work out any better. "She doesn't care about Henry. All she wants is power," Snow assures her, but Regina says that power's how you get things before Mary Margaret adds, "She doesn't care about you." The mayor then leans in and asks Snow what she would know about mothers, and Mary Margaret remains silent as Regina leaves the diner and the shot moves down to the princess' hands, which are gripping each other tightly on the table.

Then Snow gets a call from her husband where with the help of the blue fairy, the three of them will try to get inside Mr. Gold's shop. However, when trying to get inside of the shop, it held some much strong dark magic that they couldn't get inside. Then Snow makes a comment from her youth remembering the time when her mom was dying and asked the blue fairy what to do to help her mom but decided she couldn't do it. The Blue fairy furrowed her brows confused assuring her that she never told her any such thing, and Snow tells the fairy that she kept her secret, however, this causes Mother Superior to become confused even further. Mary Margaret's cell phone is heard ringing and she tells everybody to hang on, answering to Emma and hearing that Gold told her where the dagger is and hearing other things about Gold getting injured then getting Hook arrested but Emma defends him immediately. Mary Margaret looks at her husband in anticipation as he listens to Emma and turns to the Storybrooke clock tower.

The lift inside the clock tower is seen opening and David and Mary Margaret step out among the gears and cogs and quickly race up a small flight of stairs to a platform the rests just beside the inside of the clock face itself. David removes a segment of glass from the face and tells his wife that it's here before removing Rumpelstiltskin's dagger from the clock hand, naming it a "clever hiding place for a very clever man". Mary Margaret smiles as David hands her the dagger and she inspects it, stating that they did it, and Charming adds that the Dark One finally can be controlled. "Indeed, he can be," says Cora, startling David and Mary Margaret as she and Regina appear within the clock tower opposite the royal couple. "But by whom?" Cora adds, and David tells the witch that she's too late. Cora tells them that it seems as though they found them just in time, and Mary Margaret reminds Regina that she told her to pick her side carefully, stating that good has won, just as it always does. Laughing is heard coming from Cora and Mary Margaret and David turn to her as she tells Snow that she thinks the day has finally come that she learn a long, overdue lesson. Cora raises her hand and a cloud of purple smoke appears, and within that cloud appears Johanna, who appears dazed and confused as the smoke dissipates, now standing within the clock tower in between Regina and Cora. Mary Margaret exclaims her old handmaiden's name as Cora tells the former princess that in the end, it isn't good or evil that wins: it's power. Regina proceeds to face Johanna and plunge her arm into the woman's chest, before pulling out her glowing, beating heart. Johanna appears in pain as Regina turns to Mary Margaret, who grips the dagger more tightly, that it's now her choice. Snow remains speechless within the situation as the clock hand ticks.

Cora is still staring at Mary Margaret with a smile on her face in the present day as Snow begs the witch not to harm Johanna as she has nothing to do with this. Cora states that of course she does, and Johanna tells Snow that whatever Cora and Regina want, she shouldn't give it to them. "Quiet, handmaid!" Cora exclaims as David reaches for his gun and aims it at Cora. Regina, who's still gripping Johanna's heart, warns her mother to watch out, and Cora merely waves her hand and causes the gun to fly out of David's hand and into the cogs of the town clock. As Regina grips the heart tighter, Johanna cries out in pain, and Cora declares enough, ordering Mary Margaret to surrender the dagger as they all know she will follow her mother's example no matter the cost, as all she ever wanted was for her to be good. Something dawns on Mary Margaret when she hears these words and she asks Cora where she heard them, at which the witch asks her where she thinks. Snow recounts that the Blue Fairy made her swear never to speak of the magic candle again, not because it was a secret, but because it wasn't her. Cora, who doesn't deny this, merely holds out her arm and requests the dagger as Mary Margaret realizes that Blue didn't give her the candle: Cora did. Cora remains silent as Snow pieces it all together, saying that her mother wasn't sick at all but Cora laughs, assuring Mary Margaret that Eva was quite sick.

"You... did... all of this! You killed my mother!" Snow exclaims, nearly in tears, causing Regina to turn to her mother in surprise as Cora tells Mary Margaret that the candle would have worked, and she could have saved her. "But you knew I wouldn't!" Snow exclaims, "Why? Why did you take her from me?" at which Cora merely shrugs, telling the former princess, "To make my daughter the queen." Regina turns back to her mother with even more shock, this all being new information to her, and Snow turns to her former stepmother, who orders her to hand over the dagger, keeping a tight grip on Johanna's glowing heart. Mary Margaret, who's still gripping the dagger, refuses, assuring the two villains that she will not let them win - "Not again!" Cora reminds Snow that she's already lost her mother and asks how many connections to her she has left, gesturing Johanna, wagering that she doesn't have many. Mary Margaret stares at her former handmaiden with tears in her eyes as David tells his wife that if they give up the dagger, they can still win, but Mary Margaret ignores him. Johanna begs Snow to let her go, telling her that it's alright, but Regina squeezes the heart and makes Johanna scream in pain yet again. Mary Margaret can't seem to bear the sound of Johanna's pain as Cora asks Snow what her mother would say if she could see her now - if she wasn't dead.

Regina continues to squeeze the heart as Cora again extends her arm, requesting the dagger from Mary Margaret who takes one last look at the dying Johanna before throwing the dagger on the ground, falling to her knees and declaring enough. At this, Regina relinquishes the heart and Johanna's pain ends, before Cora lifts her hand and causes the dagger to fly into it. "Such a good girl," she names Snow who tells the two witches that they have what they came for. Cora looks to Regina who plunges the heart back into Johanna's chest, but as Johanna makes her way to Snow and Charming, Cora adds, "Not quite everything," and with a giant flick of her wrist, Johanna is sent flying into the clock face, smashing through it and falling to the pavement beneath. Mary Margaret immediately runs to the broken clock face and stares out of it, seeing Johanna's dead body lying on the ground and becoming overwhelmed with emotion, before David pulls her away. "Well, there you go," Regina tells the Charming's' with a grin, "You see where good gets you?" Cora and Regina then disappear from the tower in clouds of purple smoke as Mary Margaret continues to weep uncontrollably in her husband's arms.

At the graveyard, Mary Margaret is seen crouched down beside a freshly filled-in grave as she adds the final pieces of soil around the white-petaled flowers that she's placed into it. She stands up tearfully, staring at where Johanna has just been buried, as David puts his hand on her back, telling her that it was a beautiful service, but Snow states that it's one that never should have happened as Johanna was an innocent. David tells his wife that she can't blame herself as she did the best she could do in an impossible situation, but Mary Margaret merely stares at Regina's family mausoleum, commenting that that remains untouched. "Mary Margaret..." David tries, but Snow ignores him and says that she's had the same role her entire life: to hold on to goodness, as it's what her mother taught her. She asks how many more lives following that lesson is going to take away from her, but David tells her that she can't let Cora make her lose faith in who she is, which is someone who does the right thing, as that's exactly what she wants.

"I made the right decision when I stopped Regina's execution all those years ago... when it could have saved us all of this heartache. I made the right decision when I sent Emma through the wardrobe alone, and we didn't see her first steps. I made the right decision when I let my mother die from Cora's poison..." Mary Margaret points out, but David points out in return that they keep beating them. Snow asks what the cost is for this, saying that all she wants is their happy ending as it's time and they've earned it - "No more lives lost. No more hearts are broken," she declares, but David tries to change the subject by telling his wife that the dagger is useless until Gold returns to Storybrooke, assuring her that they have time and will get it back, and when they do, they will bring Cora and Regina to justice. "I don't care about justice anymore," Mary Margaret states, "We keep thinking that people will change... but what if that's wrong? What if I'm the one who has to change?" Charming asks her how she's going to do this exactly, and Snow tells him, "I'm going to kill Cora."

David looks at Snow in thought when she says that whether he believes it or not, or whether he's still in shock, he can't believe what he's hearing. So, he looks at Snow in her eyes and says "okay." Agreeing with his wife sounds with what he should do rather than make a fight about it. As he thinks about it a lot has happened to them on what things should've been and doing the right things, he had to admit it's exhausting at times but being happy and having a nice ending to a story also sounds great as well. They must do what they always do best, fight. On that note, he speaks up to forget that the day's not over yet, "remember Emma is coming back here tonight Snow with Rumpelstiltskin and his son along with Captain Hook. "

"Yes, I remember David and I can't help this shaking feeling about Hook."

"Hook?" David questioned "why do you get a feeling about Hook; I'll mean why do you want to talk about him?"

"David you're not going to like this." She starts, hesitating on what to say, "I talked to him today early in the morning after that little fight between you and him."

"What?!" he exclaims. "You've talked to him, why Snow why."

"I talked to him because we didn't get to know what happened between him and Emma. I don't think that pirates are cryptic, but he gave a cryptic answer when I asked him about Emma. He said that they know each other and he doesn't know when he'll tell us when I asked him because when that day is going to be, he said in these exact words, 'we both don't remember and when we remember will be the day for all to know'. Plus, I couldn't keep to this myself with this David, you know that I'm not good with secrets, it's been eating me up the whole day. I had to tell you and now you know."

"What are we going to do Snow, about him?"

"I think we need to learn to trust and have faith in our daughter. If they truly know each other then Emma knows what we're dealing with, while we can't ask her with what is going on between them as much as I want to know, we can't. We need to have faith in Emma, we must."

"That sounds like a great idea. Now while we know they're coming at night, how we are supposed to know when they're here? Since Grumpy, Leroy has a boat do you think we ask him to keep watch over there until the ship arrives then he can alert us then we go over there?"

"That also sounds like a great idea, I'll call him and tell him with what's going on and I'm pretty sure he'll help. Do you think we should worry about the stranger in town, David?"

"I don't know Snow, I mean everybody would've thought he would leave after that he's now healed. We should still be cautious about him, I don't know what Emma's thoughts about him still in town, but I think we should be wary around him. When Emma comes back let's ask her what her instincts are telling her."

After she nods, everything was in place. It wasn't until hours later when Leroy called to them noticing that they're here.

When David and Mary Margaret arrived there, they looked at the group and noticed how pale and vulnerable Mr. Gold looks like, it was different. Henry was happy as he talks about steering the Jolly Roger while Emma looks at her parents nodding that she's fine even though Neal is right next to her while Captain Hook is behind her. Now that they're all back what is going to happen now, does Cora or Regina know that they're back, what's the plan?


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Like Mother, Like Daughter**

 **AN:** Hi readers, I'm going to make a quick note here. I know that I usually do one story per month and that Chapter 12 was recently released only a few days ago but I couldn't help myself when doing this chapter. Also, this chapter is going to be short and is also a cliffhanger, I know don't usually do cliffhanger's or doing short chapters, but I also love cliffhangers. I hope that you all love it and I'll understand if you're going to hate me.

Underneath the moonlit skies, it was mostly dark, not a lot of light coming through the darkness of the day. It was hard to tell where everything is and with a couple more of Snow's friends, helped with the lighting and the situation that they've grasped in their hands. At the town docks, Mary Margaret and David step out of the latter's van to see Emma and Henry, with Neal and Ruby beside them, who are escorting a poisoned Gold off Hook's ship.

Emma steps back before getting into the van and talks to Hook. "Killian, seeing Mary Margaret's friends here I think it would be best if you would stay here at the ship. They don't trust you and even if I tell them that you can come with us, with me mostly, I think they'll know for sure that something is going on between us. I promise I'll be careful okay. I love you." Emma quietly said to him almost like a whisper so no one would hear her.

"That's the first time that you promise what I'm going to say, my lady love. Emma, I love you too." He said quietly as Emma did. They both looked into their eyes one last time, both saying nonverbally to be careful and promising to each other that everything that is about to happen on this night, that they'll make it through. For that moment they had each other and everything is going to be okay. Then Emma gets inside of the van with the company already there only waiting for her.

While David waits along with Mary Margaret, she states that they will just have to take the fight to Cora before anything that could happen, and David says they will, however, Mary Margaret adds that this time, they're going to finish it. David tries to quiet her down, but his wife tells him that Cora needs to be stopped, "She needs to be killed. This is our family; we are going to protect it!" David tells her that of course they are, but what she's talking about goes beyond that.

Rather than arguing with Snow about killing Cora, he already knew what to do and say as he says "You have the purest heart of anyone I have ever known. That's who you are. And that's who you're gonna stay as." Mary Margaret remains silent and Emma approaches Gold with blankets in her arms, asking him if he's okay. He says that he does feel a bit stronger but that they need to take him back to his pawnshop as there's magic there that can protect them. Neal and David begin to escort Mr. Gold and Henry guesses that he gets to stay with Ruby. Emma tells him that he guessed right and Ruby promises to keep the kid out of the crossfire. Mary Margaret thanks her and Henry quickly tells his mother and grandmother not to look so worried, assuring them that they'll stop Cora and won't let her getaway.

When they all arrived at Mr. Gold's pawnshop, David, Mary Margaret and Baelfire sit the dying Dark One down on his couch in the back room before he proceeds to ask Emma, who's carrying a jar, if she found "it". She presents the jar, saying there's nothing in it, but shaking it and hearing a rattle, becoming confused. She reaches inside and pulls out- "Invisible chalk," Gold tells her as Emma looks at the space between her fingers where the chalk is being held, but not seen. Gold proceeds to tell her to use it on the front doorway, to draw a line, telling the rest of them that they might want to prepare for battle. Emma goes into the front section of the shop and is soon followed by David and Neal. Mary Margaret begins to follow on but is stopped by Mr. Gold, who asks her to please retrieve him a warmer blanket, which she'll find in the cabinet. Mary Margaret obliges and opens the cabinet; however, she is shocked to see the object inside, not a blanket... but a magic candle, one that had been given to her when she was a little girl by Cora disguised as the Blue Fairy. Mary Margaret carefully takes the candle out of the cabinet with one hand, asking Mr. Gold why he has it. "For a rainy day," he replies, but Mary Margaret appears far from amused.

In the backroom, Mary Margaret is still holding the magic candle and realizes that Mr. Gold wasn't getting better. He explains that the candle is needed to save him as there's nothing else. Snow reminds him that she wouldn't use it to save her mother, asking him what makes him think she would use it for him. He replies that she's all grown up now and, for once, their interests are aligned. Mary Margaret then realizes that it will be Cora who dies in Gold's place and he tells her that he knows she can do it and he knows she wants to do it. Mary Margaret offers him a blank look, stating, "There's no coming back from murder." But he points out that there's no coming back from death either, and that's what will happen to her loved ones. Mary Margaret says that even if she were to do this, the candle only works when you whisper the victim's name over them. "The heart will do," Gold tells her, leading Mary Margaret to realize that Cora's heart isn't in her body. Gold tells her to use the candle to curse the heart, before performing the tricky part. Snow is confused as to how that's not the tricky part, and Gold explains that she must put the heart back into Cora's body for the candle to take effect; she will die, and Rumple will live. "There's another way: I get Cora's heart, I control her and make her do the right thing, and I let you die. Takes care of two evils in one," she points out. Mary Margaret appears taken aback when Emma walks into the room, causing her to place the candle into her pocket. The blonde states that she drew the invisible line and asks what they do now, wondering if Gold is to cast a protection spell, however, the pawnbroker reveals that Emma's going to do that for him. "I'm relying on you," he tells Emma, although this little phrase also applies to Mary Margaret, who stares at Rumple with rage.

As Mary Margaret leaves off to find Cora's heart, in the shop Emma stares at Rumpelstiltskin at what he said to her just now. If Emma heard right, he said she must use magic. "You want me to use magic, are you sure ?" she said not believing at what he's saying to her and with a yes from him, she only stares.

Seriously how was she going to do this, not about the protection spell as she has done it a couple of times in her life when staying in the Enchanted Forest. She just found out for herself after the nap she took that she has magic and remembers the day when it happened in her home on the island shortly after Felicity was born. She remembered that she was always tired all the time, a sign that she's adjusting her life to motherhood and in her tired state she unconsciously did magic with Killian bearing witness to it. After that only a couple of months later when Killian would go out on the sea, he would try to find spellbooks for his wife. He proved to be successful and when he came back home, he gave the books to Emma and she started to learn magic.

Then she was brought to reality as Gold was getting impatient from Emma waiting tirelessly to do the spell when he's giving her instructions, but he seems to stop and realizes that she's not paying attention to him. She seems to be put in a trance-like state as if she's remembering something. So, he waited and well time is literally on the clock and started getting irritated from all the waiting. When she seemed to come back to reality and when he was going to repeat himself, it seemed he didn't have to. As she has done all in a second as if she'd done it before. Then a flash comes into his mind he remembers that Emma was in the Enchanted Forest for a long time there and wonders are it possible she had found out she had magic during her time there and learned how to use it as well. Is it possible? He thoughts and he declares to himself that it was very probable that could happen, as she was there for almost two decades, it was found that the longer she was there, anything could happen to trigger them.

Then Emma leaves the shop without Mr. Gold to talk to her as he was in his thoughts. As she left the shop, she told herself why did she get out of there. It could be because she doesn't want to be in proximity to him as he did destroy her family. Putting her and her husband younger, getting rid of all their memories ever since she arrived at the Enchanted Forest for the first time, poofing her daughter away, giving a false life of memories to start for her husband as well giving him to become Captain Hook. She hates him like the other civilians of Storybrooke fear about him in general, she has a reason this time, and being around him she feels like she's going to burst out of information that is classified information stored in her head of the life she once had. She goes to an empty alleyway and there she sees Cora.

"What do you want Cora?" Emma said in a a tone that I don't want to deal with anything or anyone.

"I don't want anything from you," Cora starts, "but it would be much better if you can get simply out of the way." Emma's eyebrows raised as she said that, she is curious she can't help it but suddenly she knows something bad is going to happen. "You see Regina is Henry's mother, she did take care of Henry through all these years doing who knows what you were doing instead." Emma is getting furious at the witch of hearts and all she wants to do is hurt her bad, bringing memories that are full of regret because of her loss of memories. The reason why she couldn't be a mother to Henry thinking it was Neal when it wasn't.

So, Emma repeats herself with more conviction that full of tension between them comes out through what she says, "what do you want Cora? What do you want me to do?"

"I believe what you know what this is?" Cora asks bringing the fruit that she's holding in her hand. Emma grimly nods as she sees the apple, which brings back bad memories of the turnover incident with Henry going through the sleeping curse. A tear slip by her cheek knowingly where this is turning into.

"I want you out of the way so that Regina will get her son back. I also want you out of the way for my need to take over Rumpelstiltskin and become the next dark one, unless you want me to kill the one you love." Emma gasps.

"How do you know that?" Emma asks.

"Well, it was an easy thing to do when the pirate becomes suddenly distracted and I simply saw his memories when I blacked him out. Imagine to our surprise when my daughter and I found out that you married the pirate, imagine how your parents would feel that you married Captain Hook and that you've got a daughter with him as well." Cora said in her evil smile putting her so on edge that Emma starts to cry. "You're weak darling, love is weak you should know that by now."

Emma then suddenly grabs the poisoned apple. "You're truly Regina's mother you know that."

"Like mother like daughter, you're both weak," Cora says.

"Likewise, except love is strength and is power, thought you should know that when we win, and you'll lose."

Emma takes the bite and then she gets pulled into the Netherworld like her mother and son did when trying to protect their love ones.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN:** **Hello reader, I'm going to make an update. One is another short chapter, however, this is just** **a bridge. However, the real reason I'm doing this is to let you all know that from here and now I'm going to finish season two before the end of the year, so you should expect a little bit more chapters between here and until Christmas Eve. I've planned for Christmas and I leave on Christmas Eve, so I'm letting you know that in advance. You should expect may be less than five more chapters including this Chapter that's been finished. I really want to end season two by the end of the year and to start season three. Also, in a couple of weeks on November 5** **th,** **I will try to post a chapter on that day since that day is important as that it has been a year since I've been working on this story. On that note, I also like to say thank you, my readers, to following and favoriting my story. I'm happy to say that I've over 50 followers and since this is my first long story, I couldn't feel any prouder of how much you guys following my story. So, thank you and remember if you have any questions, leave them in the comments or if you want to know anything that isn't a big spoiler I will tell.**

 **Chapter 14: When Everything Goes Wrong**

Immediately after Emma takes the plunge, in the shop Rumpelstiltskin knew something went wrong when Ms. Swan's protection spell went off. He called out to his son Baelfire and then Charming came after hearing Mr. Gold's shout. He said, "Apparently Ms. Swan's protection spell stopped lingering and soon Cora and Regina will come in here and there's nothing left to protect when that happens." Charming knew what he had to do along with Baelfire who goes by Neal Cassidy, they immediately went around Mr. Gold with their weapons as they wait and protect the Dark One who is very vulnerable.

Around the same time when Emma took the bite, at the Jolly Roger in his room, Killian Jones immediate felt pain like he never felt before. He knew something went wrong and knew it was about Emma. It felt like his heart was going to fall out.

As Regina and Cora got inside to Mr. Gold's shop, it was an easy thing to do thanks to Cora while Regina doesn't know of what her mother did, she did like the fact that they didn't have to work together to get rid of the protection spell, they simply went inside without a hassle. When they got closer Regina lifts her hand a little and casts a fireball, she proceeds to throw it at Neal however, David runs at him and deflects it with his sword, causing it to vaporize in the air. He points his sword at Regina who merely gestures grabbing him and dragging him, and with magic, he is flown threw the air and falls unconscious. Neal runs at Cora, swiping at her with his sword, however, she quickly disappears in a flurry of purple smoke, dropping the dagger as she does so. When David wakes up, he gets to her feet and is immediately met by Regina who begins to strangle him with magic, as Regina takes relish in it. Cora reappears opposite Bae which makes Regina lose her concentration, with this, David grabs his sword, turns Regina around and places her blade at the mayor's neck. Cora looks to her daughter to the dagger on the floor, and Neal asks the witch what it's going to be.

Regina calls out for her mother as David keeps her restrained and Neal tells Cora to choose wisely. Cora uses magic to make the dagger fly into her hand and at this, David throws Regina across the counter, causing objects to smash as she slides over it, landing on the other side. Cora asks Regina to help her take out Rumpelstiltskin, but she suddenly feels an odd jolt. Regina asks her what's wrong and Cora states that it's her heart, which is among Regina's things in her vault, and someone's there. Regina calls out for her mother again in worry, but Cora tells her to leave and her daughter obliges, walking out of the pawnshop and heading to her graveyard vault. Cora, dagger in hand, walks over to face the protected doorway. "Rumple?" she asks, "Hiding's beneath you."

As Mary Margaret goes to the cemetery to the mausoleum, she walks down the stairs to Regina's vault beneath her father's mausoleum. Once down, she begins to look from side to side, wondering where to go, before slowly approaching a room of boxes and chests. She looks at them and sighs, beginning to search. It took for her awhile the search the one thing that can save Rumpelstiltskin until she looks to a cabinet and walks over to it, she cautiously opens it to discover a set of drawers, all presumably filled with hearts, but only one is glowing. Mary Margaret cautiously removes the chest containing the glowing heart and places it atop the cabinet, before opening it to see Cora's heart, still beating. She closes the lid, a little disgusted, and stares at the chest for a while, breathing heavily and still hearing the heartbeat. She quickly opens the chest again and takes out the magic candle, as well as a cigarette lighter. With it, she lights the candle on both ends, allowing the white wax and the black wax to drip onto the heart. She moves her lips towards the flames before she whispers, "Cora... Cora..." She then blows out both ends of the candle.

Regina walks into her vault to see Mary Margaret about to leave with a chest containing Cora's heart in her hands. The mayor furiously tells the teacher that she has no right to be there and has no right to her mother's heart. "I was going to give it to you," Mary Margaret lies, and Regina becomes confused. Mary Margaret explains that Cora can't love Regina because she doesn't have her heart, but with it, maybe she can. She tells her stepmother that that's why she never felt Cora loved her - she doesn't have her heart, "but I do". Regina wonders why Mary Margaret would be doing this for her, and the teacher asks her to think about it, asking what would happen if Cora had her heart back inside her. Regina says that she was told Cora removed it to protect herself, but Mary Margaret asks if it worked, whether the person that Cora was before survived. "She can't love, so she can't love you," Regina states that her mother always wanted the best for her and that that's love, but Mary Margaret tells her to imagine real love, saying that Regina could have a mother and a start on making a family that Henry can be a part of, or she could have her be the Dark One. Mary Margaret extends her arms, pushing the chest closer to Regina and telling her that the choice is hers. Regina contemplates this.

After that Mary Margaret exits the mausoleum and sits down with her head cradling down on her chest. She didn't realize what she has done, she stayed there sitting down can't believe what she has done. She doesn't know how long she stayed there until David finds her and she tells him that he was right about her as she pleads into her guilt. When David acknowledges what she'd done they went back to Mr. Gold's shop, but it was already too late as Cora is now dead with Mr. Gold being alive. Then as Regina looks back to Mary Margaret she says, "You did this," as she holds her mother's dead body in her arms. Mary Margaret is utterly shocked and Regina stares at her through evil, tearful eyes.

Now Snow White truly feels guilty and if it weren't for her husband who he practically dragged them out of the shop finally realizes something. They looked around the shop and he said" where's Emma?" he points out.

Immediately they checked the entire store and there was no sign of their daughter. Then they checked a five-mile radius perimeter surrounding Mr. Gold's shop and still there was no sign of her. By that time, it was finally morning and they were exhausted and as much they would love to go back to Mary Margaret's apartment to catch some sleep, they're instead finding their only daughter. So, they went to the diner and there seeing Henry awake with Ruby and Granny they looked at Ruby. Mary Margaret says, "Ruby we need your help we can't find Emma." She said to her best friend and immediately went off with them while Henry stays at the diner helping Granny.

When they got Ruby, they went to the apartment and quickly grabbed one of Emma's belongings. With that Ruby sniffed it and started to follow Emma's scent. It took some time to their surprise to where Emma is however when they got there David and Mary Margaret tried to wake her up fearing she's dead. However, Mary Margaret realized that she wasn't dead instead she cries understanding to what happened to their only daughter and seeing the apple a few meters away to where Emma is laying down. She says "She's not dead. She's under the sleeping curse."

Then David, "what are we going to do now? We can't leave Emma here, where should we leave her in her cursed state, the apartment or the hospital?" he said wondering of what's going to happen now and he and Snow both know that they can't break her curse because they're still getting to know her and even though they already love her they don't know about Emma's feelings. After gathering their thoughts, it seemed that Ruby has called Dr. Whale and said to bring an ambulance explaining that Emma is under the sleeping curse. The ambulance came fast and put Emma into the stretcher as the three of them watched as Emma left in the ambulance. Then sullenly all of them wait back to the diner and Henry asked where's his mom.

"Henry," David starts seeing the Snow is exhausted and wants to bask in the guilt of what she's done so she made herself go back to the apartment where her world is slowly breaking apart. "We found Emma, but it seems that she's under the sleeping curse." He said and then as he watches Henry's understanding of what he said his smile turned into a frown, sad-looking forlorn. But then he is also an optimist and says "I can wake up her with true love's kiss, it worked when she woke me up. Maybe I can kiss her, and she'll wake up right, grandpa."

As David watches Henry bringing back hope, he decides that he can't deny it where he got them from Snow. Seeing the trait in Henry is like a breath of fresh air for him, that maybe it'll work. Maybe he thought. So along with Henry, they headed to the hospital to try and wake Emma up. When they've found her room, it was so weird seeing Emma sleeping peacefully not knowing what's happening. Henry sees his mom and seeing his mom in his state instead of crying, he puts his head up and strode confidently to wake her up. However, when he kissed his mom on the forehead, seconds went by then minutes and it was clear to them in a blink of an eye that it didn't work. So, they immediately left, and Henry started to cry wondering how long she will be in the sleeping curse.

Looking around and walking back to the apartment, David was taking a realization with interest in what he gathered about his daughter Emma. If he, Snow, and Henry couldn't wake up her up, then who will, and he knows without a doubt it won't be Neal Cassidy as she already was displeased with him enough especially, he sent her to jail. He's still mad at him for doing that and when they are back at the apartment, he sees Mary Margaret is asleep, so he joins her while Henry goes back to his room and gets holed up in his room not believing in what just happened in the hospital. He also wonders who his father is and he's smart enough to know that it's not Neal, and he knows that because he doesn't feel a connection to him at all and starts to remember the voyage from Manhattan to Storybrooke. Where his last moments of being happy with his mom and learning how to sail from Captain Hook. Then he remembers ever since Captain Hook arrived back in the apartment of one Baelfire ever since Hook came in, he felt something between them and while learning to sail the Jolly he can say without a doubt that he felt a connection.

A couple of hours later Mary Margaret and David wakes up. Once up David explained what happened after she left the diner and with heavy heart, she sighs not knowing what to expect now as they both revel into who will wake her up. She feels even sadder, so she stayed curled up in the bed wrapped around her arms around her chest as she did earlier before she fell asleep. Then she asks him "why is everything falling apart? Everything is slowly going wrong, what are we going to do first I killed Cora now Emma is in the sleeping curse. Why is this happening, it seems everything is just going to get worse."

David blankly looks at her with no answer. As he said immediately after, that he doesn't know. Then he goes to the kitchen to make sandwiches and then she left the apartment saying she's going somewhere. She ended up Regina's mansion, so she knocks the door where a grieving Regina opens the door.

"You...", she says, almost unable to believe her eyes. Mary Margaret moves in closer to the Queen and tells her, in a weak tone, to kill her... "What?" Regina asks, confused, and Mary Margaret starts laying it out on the table: they have been fighting for so long, and it has cost them so much, so it must end before anyone else dies. This said, she tells the Mayor to just "do it". The fairest in all the lands opens her arms, preparing to sacrifice herself, as her eyes tear up. Regina nods negatively, stating that Henry would never forgive her and that she was thinking of getting a potion so Henry can love her but didn't because she wants Henry to love all on his own. "But you know what my problem is?" Regina says, intriguing Snow, "I never learned from my mistakes." This said Regina, lunges her hand into her rival's chest, agonizing her, and takes out her heart. She holds up the enchanted heart before her eyes and is marveled at the sight. Mary Margaret is horrified, and the Evil Queen reveals surprise at something. "What?" Snow White asks, and Regina turns the heart around to show her a black spot in its core. The princess asks what she did to it, and Regina tells her that she didn't do that, Snow herself did. "You darkened yourself," she says, and Mary Margaret goes into denial. However, Regina goes on to say, "Yes. And once you've darkened your heart it only grows darker... and darker. Trust me, I know." Her rival begs her to crush it then, to get it over with, and Regina, amused, refuses to put her out of her misery, saying that she doesn't need to destroy Snow, she's doing it to herself. "And along the way," she adds, coldly, "you'll bring down that perfect little family you fought so hard to reunite." Mary Margaret can't stop crying. "And then Henry will be mine in one way or another," the Queen finishes. Snow White, weaker than she's ever been before, begs her nemesis to kill her, and Regina, filled with sadistic delight, tells her she can have everything, as a tear of joy comes down her face. She shoves the heart back into Mary Margaret's chest and says, with a large grin, "Thanks to you." She removes her hand from her chest and orders her to get off her porch. The Mayor goes back inside her house and Mary Margaret is left to gasp on her entrance.

Unknown to them outside the Mills the property, Greg Mendell, the outsider, finishes recording what just happened between Mayor Mills and Miss Blanchard on his cell phone and appears content. He then saves the video file and rushes back to his car. He puts the key in the ignition... and we then see that the lanyard once made by Kurt Flynn, in his childhood, that he'd given his son Owen during a camping trip, years before. "I'll find you, dad..." Greg says... "I promise." He turns the key and gets the car running.

When Snow White went back to the apartment, she sees David and he asks where she was, as he was worried. However, she told him what happened, and it was an understatement that he was mad to what she did. As she said earlier, he says it again, "things are becoming worse. By tomorrow everyone will know to what happened with Emma and I'm having the feeling since she's gone things are not going to do well now the town's sheriff is gone." He says and now he knows that whatever happens in Storybrooke he has to take care of it, and he likes working with his daughter, the bonding they were doing before the sleeping curse, those were taken away and now he is putting up a brave face like his grandson, Henry is doing ever since they've found out true love's kiss didn't work between mother and son.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: When you know it's gotten worse**

It was only a couple hours later after Regina's and Snow White's private talk when Regina truly mourns her mother. With only an hour or two of rest for Regina, she was in a state of shock of a testament to what her mother said in her dying moment, and it's haunting her so badly that it was no wonder she couldn't get more of proper sleep or rest. The hours ticked by slowly and when her doorbell rang, she was surprised to see her arch-nemesis, Snow White coming at her beck and call. She wanted to kill right there but then the black dot in Snow White's heart she knew she couldn't kill, because it wouldn't be proper because as she saw it in her eyes, she wanted to kill with a pure heart with blackness in there. So, she didn't because well that dream is gone and is now fruitless. Then she changes her clothes to mourning clothes and bought a rose and headed to the mausoleum.

At the Mills family mausoleum at the local graveyard, inside in the mausoleum, Cora has been laid to rest on a coffin with an epitaph reading, "Cora Mills Beloved Mother". A tearful Regina puts a single red rose on top of the coffin and takes her time to mourn the passing of her mother, crying. Mr. Gold walks in and comments that black always was her color. Regina says, "I'm here to bury my mother. So, if you've come to gloat..."; Gold interrupts her, saying that he's merely there to pay his respects. He puts a single red rose on top of the coffin as well, over Regina's, facing the other way, and comments that he and Cora had their differences, but she will always have a place in his heart. Regina looks slightly offended by this and reminds him that he killed her to save his own life. Gold tells her that desperate times call for desperate measures. "Like getting Mary Margaret to trick me into killing my mother?", she asks. She then tells him that he may be able to hide behind his dagger, but Mary Margaret can't, and she's going to die for what she did. Gold scoffs at this and moves in closer, reminding her that killing Mary Margaret will cost her the one thing she wants most: Henry. He asks her why she doesn't just give up this obsession with vengeance; "You know it can never make you happy." Regina insists that it will, and he reminds her that she had a whole curse worth of vengeance, and all it did was get her a gaping hole in her heart. Regina reminds him that that was his curse, and he responds that she cast it, and yet she still hasn't learned her lesson. She asks what lesson, and he says the same one her mother learned a long time ago: "You can't have everything." He recounts that Cora wanted power, ripped out her own heart to get it; if Regina wants vengeance, Henry is the price she'll pay. He tells her it's time to cut her losses, but Regina, not giving up, tells him "Never", frustrating him. "I will have my son someway," she says, "And I will have my vengeance. I will find a way to have everything." This said, she wipes a tear from her eye.

"Have Did you hear Regina that the savior, Emma Swan is in a sleeping curse? I wonder who had done that?" Rumpelstiltskin said as he walks away, leaving Regina behind in the crypt, leaving her to think to his words until they've come sunken into her skin. It's a small victory, for her not enough to celebrate or gloat upon but enough that she can have Henry back sooner rather than later. Maybe she should seek the Dark One's appearance after all. Maybe the thoughts she was having earlier to get a potion for Henry to take, to force his love, maybe that's what she needed to hear. Maybe she could do it tomorrow, as the day tumbles away from her day of grief, tomorrow will be a new day for her.

By nightfall the town already knows their sheriff's current state and that Cora the Evil Queen's mother is dead. It was news that sent to all parties with relief that Cora is dead, but Emma is also in the sleeping curse. It's no wonder the feelings they all felt is confusing that they've won and yet also failed, it was an interesting mood the town has felt. Also, there's news that Rumpelstiltskin's lost long son is found with the name that he tells everyone his name is Neal Cassidy, not going by his name as Baelfire, anyhow the news was that he tried to wake up to savior and well it didn't work, which was not a surprise. However, there was speculation that's going on is who will wake up the savior, as Neal couldn't Henry tried, and since Emma is still learning and coping to having parents it was no doubt that the Charming's' most likely won't be enough to wake their daughter up. The Charming's were shared with along with the town's grief, as passerby and friends giving them heartfelt comments saying how sorry they're for their only daughter to have countered the sleeping curse.

It was a long day for everyone, and it comes to all the minds and thoughts of everyone in the town will the savior ever wake up, does she have true love like her parents, is there any hope for her to wake up.

The next day inside Mary Margaret's apartment became a sullen day for Mary Margaret as she's in a state of depression, and in a rightful state that she's in especially not only did she kind of killed Cora but also Emma is in that cursed sleep. Also, David and Henry is feeling almost the same thing of which Mary Margaret is feeling except they're trying to find a new norm in their routine and Henry surprisingly understands for someone at his age. They don't have hope and the only things they can do is to try.

The silence looms in the apartment until someone knocks at the door. David opens the front door to find Mr. Gold. He immediately tells the rejuvenated Dark One to get out, but Gold claims that he thinks they are going to want to hear what he has to say, for Mary Margaret's sake. Henry gets up from his seat and the latter asks what he's talking about; Gold answers that Regina is planning to strike back, against his wife. David puts his hands over his grandson's shoulders, and he asks Mr. Gold what she's going to do to her. Gold calmly answers that Regina didn't say, and David tells him that he can't just go there and drop a bomb like that, he's gonna figure it out and help them. Gold asks why he should do that, and David reminds him that Mary Margaret saved his life, so he owes her, and he always pays his debts. "You're gonna help us stop Regina."

Inside the mausoleum, Regina looks around for something in her chambers. She closes a trunk after being unable to find what she seeks inside of it and looks frustrated. She then sorts through miscellaneous items, asking herself "Where is it?", almost giving in completely to despair. She finds a locket and opens it to reveal two pictures inside, one of herself at a younger age, and one of her mother, side by side. She sobs and continues her search. She looks inside a vault and dramatically removes one of her mother's dresses, then ripping its fabric angrily. Finally, she finds a tiny scroll and unfolds it before her eyes. Upon realizing that this is exactly what she was looking for, Regina stares blankly into the air and says, "Thank you, mommy..." Then Regina leaves. Later, long enough when Regina is gone David and Mr. Gold go through the Inside the Mills family mausoleum, David is seen coming down the steps to Regina's vault, yielding a flashlight, with Gold following him. They walk with caution, and when they notice the mess left behind by Regina, Gold comments that it appears they have missed their "dear Queen". They go through the contents of the vault and Gold claims that these are Cora's belongings and guesses that Regina is planning on using one of her mother's spells against Mary Margaret. Gold finds a chest containing bottled ingredients and can tell that something is missing: chimera blood and viper's eye. David asks, "what kind of curse one needs those for," and Gold deduces and says, "that it's the curse of the empty-hearted."

Then they went to Mr. Gold's shop in the backroom to talk privately. Immediately David says, "What does that do?" he asks curiously. "In theory, it has the power to make someone love you," Gold explains, and he asks if that doesn't break magic laws - she then enunciates some of the "laws", such as the inability to bring someone back from the dead, or the inability to make someone love someone else. Gold explains that this spell can someone think that they love someone else, and if one is as desperate for love as Regina appears to be, they might just believe it. He doesn't ask why Regina is going to use this curse, as it's the only way she can get everything she wants, the only way she can get Henry. It was that time that Henry came back to the apartment from the diner where Ruby and Granny were looking after him for an hour and he listened carefully before opening the door, making his appearance known.

Henry isn't convinced, for she could have him if she gave up on wanting to kill Mary Margaret, but Gold goes on to say that Regina is a complicated woman: she wants his love alright, but she also wants vengeance. David asks how she can get both with the curse, and he explains that the last ingredient she needs is the heart of the person she hates most. David tells Gold that he has to stop her, and the elderly man replies that he doesn't have to do anything. Gold claims that he believes warning them fulfills his debt, and David angrily tells him that it doesn't even come close, for they are talking about his wife's life. Gold then says that "this is a blood feud, one that goes back a very long time, and the only way one can end a blood feud is by the spilling of more blood." He adds that that is the only way he knows to eliminate their Regina problem. "By what, killing her?" David asks. Henry begs them all to stop and listen to themselves, for they are talking about killing his mom. "You used to be heroes, what happened to you?" Henry says and then leaves the apartment. Gold tells David that "Cora was dangerous because she didn't have a heart... Regina is even more dangerous because she does." When God said that it was no doubt that Henry shouldn't be near her, and that he needs to find him fast. So, he left the apartment to find Henry.

Regina is seen walking up the staircase in the Charming family's building, looking angry and determined. She finally reaches the floor of their apartment, and with one single wave of her hand can unlock the front door. She opens it, also with the use of magic, and enters the habitation. She looks around and finds Mary Margaret sitting on the bed, looking depressed. With a hint of a grin on her face, Regina removes the glove off her right hand and bends her fingers, preparing herself to remove the fair Snow White's heart. She moves towards Mary Margaret, who seems unfazed by her presence, but the witch is stopped cold on her track when Mr. Gold suddenly appears before her, standing between the two longtime rivals. "Nice try, dearie," he says, "Did you think it was gonna be that easy?" Regina can't believe this. She turns to Mary Margaret and tells her that Gold can't be her guard dog forever. Gold scoffs. Regina, unamused, turns and leaves.

While David is still trying to find Henry, wondering where he is, he goes to the diner and sees that the stranger, Greg Mendell is still in town, thinking he would've left already. By the counter, he asks for coffee to go to Ruby and thanks to her, and Greg Mendell approaches the counter and hands Ruby his sandwich platter, asking to get it wrapped up to go, for he's thinking about going on a hike. "A hike, huh?", the David says, starting a conversation with him, and Greg turns to he with confused eyes and it was then that David introduced himself as a deputy covering for the sheriff, for the sheriff, has fallen sick and is in hospital and accepting that as an answer he recounts that Dr. Whale said it'd be good for him to get on his feet, and he's kind of a nature photography nerd. Ruby comes over to hand him the bagged sandwich. He then gave his heartfelt comment about the sheriff then says, "This town's starting to grow on me," Greg says. He leaves some money on the counter, thanks to Ruby, who grabs the bag and leaves. He gives David one last look before closing the door, then David and the waitress exchanged slightly worried looks. He grabs his coffee and asks over for her help, that Henry is lost and doesn't know where he's at.

As Henry runs in the forest, he is taking his backpack off whilst running he runs into Greg, who's taking pictures of the wilderness surrounding him. Henry falls to the ground, and Greg rushes to help him up. The young man is startled, and Greg asks if he's alright. Henry states that he is, and Greg asks what he's doing there all by himself. Henry, the quick thinker, tells Greg that he's a boy scout and he's trying to get his merit badge. Greg crosses his arms, unconvinced, and Henry asks him what he's doing out there as well. Greg tells him he's hiking and taking pictures of Maine scenic beauty. Henry points to the hiking trail, and Greg thanks him. He then turns around to grab Henry's backpack - and not-so-subtle snaps a picture of it with his cell phone - and notices the kid's nametag. He hands him the backpack and wishes him good luck with his merit badge. Greg then walks away, and Henry rushes off in the opposite direction.

Inside the local mines, David and Ruby - who's been tracking down Henry's scent - come looking for the young man, and the waitress points out that he's been there. David has an idea of what he might have been looking for, referring to the dwarfs' dynamite chest. David opens the chest and wondered out loud why would Henry need dynamite. Ruby, confused, asks if he's gonna blow it up, and they wonder where he'd go to do that.

Back in the woods, Henry reaches the well that Mr. Gold used to bring magic into Storybrooke, and removes a carton of dynamite from his backpack, then placing it on the border of the well.

"Hello?" Regina's voice is heard over the phone as Greg treks through the woods and talks to her through his cell phone. He asks if this is Henry's mother, and Regina, sitting in her parked car, wants to know who's asking. He states his name, and she asks who he is, with confusion, to which he responds that he's the guy that crashed his car into town. Greg explains that he was hiking in the woods and Henry was out by the white pine trail, all by himself. Regina, slightly concerned, asks what Henry was doing there and whether he's okay. Greg says that he doesn't know, for Henry ran off, but he seemed a little upset, and he just thought that she'd want to know. Regina tells him she's on his way, and hangs up, before driving off she thinks that this is the perfect way to get Henry back and drives.

Henry is seen trying to light the dynamite with a match, but the flame on the match suddenly disappears, and Regina calls out to him. He turns back to face her, and she approaches him with caution, asking what he's doing. He picks up the dynamite and tells her he's getting rid of magic, because it is ruining everything, and adds that she can't stop him. He places the dynamite on the border of the well again and tries to light it up, but Regina tells him that all that's gonna do is get him killed. Henry tells her that she's just saying that because she needs magic so that she can cast that curse on him. Henry lights up a match and tries to use it on the dynamite, but Regina, with a twirling gesture, envelops the dynamite in a purple cloud of smoke and it disappears. Henry drops the lit-up match with surprise. She moves in closer and tells him that she can't lose him because he means too much to her. "Then don't cast the curse," he says, "Don't kill Mary Margaret." Regina insists that Mary Margaret must pay, and the boy tells her that the curse won't make him love her for real, it will be fake. "But it will be something," she says, as she takes the scroll out of her pocket. She says that she knows it's hard for him to understand now, but he'll see, that they can be happy, they can have everything. "Not like this," he tells her, backing away. Regina is saddened.

David finally shows up, and orders Regina to stay away from his grandson. Regina turns to him and says, "He's not yours, he's mine." She holds up the scroll and tells him that after she casts the curse, your daughter and your family will never see him again. David tells her that's never going to happen and adds he's gonna must go through them. Regina says "Okay," coldly and with pleasure, and conjures up a fireball on the palm of her right hand. David points his gun at Regina, but Henry rushes to stand in the middle of the fighting parties. Regina tells him that there is no way to get rid of it, he can't just blow it up, and David says that magic isn't the problem, Regina is. He reaches out his hand to him, but Henry says that it's not just Regina, it's everyone. He reminds them of what magic did to Mary Margaret, and then turns to Regina and says, "Look at what it did to you." He adds that it's ruining everything, for it makes good people do terrible things. "And bad people," David says, again reaching out his hand to him. Regina gives him an angry look. Henry looks at his birth mother, but then turns to his foster one and begs her to help him get rid of it, otherwise it's going to destroy his family. Regina earnestly tells him that she can't do that - disappointing him - but there is something she can do. This said she holds up the scroll containing the curse, holding it over the fireball, and raising everyone's anticipation. She drops it into the fire, wherein it is consumed. She then closes her grasp and the fireball disappears. Henry thanks her, and she looks at him with sadness as David lowers his gun and Henry rushes to be hugged by gramps. Then the two left while Regina just stands there by the well, almost unable to believe what she just did for her son. It even made her realize an important lesson and that nothing from here on out is going to be easy, change isn't easy, it's going to be one long hard progress and knowing the secret she knows about who his father is, is going to be even harder and hopefully in the long run hopefully she'll get Henry back as a son.

The rest of the day washes away with what almost happened, David thought, as only one day without Emma being here, things became bad especially with Henry tried to do. He couldn't get himself killed because he wanted to get rid of magic even though he has a point, he pretty much knows that there is no way to get rid of magic, it's an impossible task that even he has doubts about it and believes it's one of the things that you can't get rid of. Though he wondered how Henry has such wisdom at his age, wonder who he got that from. It was with how the day ended with a relief look upon his face and waits what is going to happen next.

David adds some white-petaled flowers to a small vase on a breakfast tray in his apartment, looking over to his wife who's remaining in bed with the covers pulled over her head, still moping after what she did to Cora. He takes the tray from the counter and begins to approach Mary Margaret but rethinks his plan reminding himself that what's happened has been hard on Mary Margaret and the least he can do is make sure that she's eating. But maybe it's time to tell her to move past this. David places the tray back onto the counter, then he sees Mary Margaret is shown to be awake under her sheets, seeming sad, when Henry emerges from the stairs, asking his grandfather if everything's okay. He assures him that everything's fine and Henry to get his coat. Henry wishes Mary Margaret goodbye and to feel better before they leave so that Henry won't be alone to when the school bus comes, then Mary Margaret unexpectedly told her husband that she won't be here. After they leave, she puts on her clothes on and grabs her bow and arrow and left the apartment, instantly going to the woods and try to relieve the nerves that have been eating her up.

When David and Henry are by the diner waiting for the bus to come, they went inside to get hot cocoa. Inside Granny's diner, David still can't believe that the stranger is still here and seeing the mayor's reaction they've looked at each other with the same worry for the town. Regina quickly says hello and goodbye to her son, not wanting or waiting for things to get awkward. So, she leaves and while she left, Henry finishes his cocoa and finds the bus has arrived, so he said goodbye and with a hug from gramps leaves the diner and goes to the bus while David watches from afar.

It was then Neal comes up and acknowledges his presence and told me that he wants to talk to him quick. They went to the empty hallway and Neal bluntly said that his fiancé Tamara is coming here and should be here right about now. It was then that David blew up.

"Your fiancé, is coming here? And she's coming here because…" David fumes trying to figure out the why.

"I want her to meet my dad and to explain to her where I'm really from. She needs to know the truth. I'm not going to make the same mistake again." Neal said bluntly. While David just moves his hands, his fingers on his head, trying to not get a headache, as he feels it coming a mile away.

David sighs, " Look a lot has a happened while Emma is in the sleeping curse, so as long you take of Tamara, your fiancé and doesn't do any harm to anybody or anything in Storybrooke then I'm giving your permission as long as you're taking care of her making sure she doesn't do anything. I don't trust you and I don't trust your fiancé, so stay away."

Neal then gets his phone as it vibrated and looked at it that Tamara will be here at Granny's diner in ten minutes, he also said it out loud as David acknowledges this and leaves the diner.

At the forest, Mary Margaret is holding her bow and arrow, firing arrows at the target on the tree while listening to her music. Firing arrows is helping her and as she fires each arrow before and after she takes a breath as she puts the arrow in place, then aim, and when she releases, then she breathes out, and it seems she is finding a way to relax to get rid of the tension that she's been holding and everything becomes clear. The way she fires an arrow releases everything and is helping her to move on, it's making her feel better and she smiles. As she fires another and it flies past the target, missing its predecessors, she takes her earphones out of her ears, causing the music to quieten, becoming confused. She hears a snapping sound out in the woods and goes to investigate, walking past her target tree in search of her stray arrow. She soon sees it on the ground and approaches it, picking it up only to discover that it's missing its head. Mary Margaret then lifts her head to see something that surprises her, and we are treated to a view of a large, although slightly discrepant and filthy, caravan trailer out in the woods. Snow walks closer towards it and removes her quiver, setting it down next to her bow before opening the trailer door. Looking from side to side, Mary Margaret walks in and asks if anyone is inside. "Just me," says a voice that startles Mary Margaret, and she turns to see a wooden August emerge from a back room. She sees that he has the front half of her snapped arrow sticking into his leg before taking a proper look at the wooden man and saying, "August?" He stares at her blankly yet shyly through wooden eyes.

Inside August's trailer which Pinocchio resides in the woods of Storybrooke, he brought Mary Margaret inside the trailer and they've talked. He talks about his curse, his punishment that he did to himself. Then talks about his father is doing and hearing news that he didn't know, he is surprised as he hears that Emma's current state and that Neal is here in Storybrooke. He also heard that Neal tried true love's kiss and it failed along and Henry tried as well, another disappointment as he hears once again it failed and well he asked if she and her husband tried, but it fruitless as they're trying to know their daughter as a person. He feels ashamed he admits and knows he misses his father as did his father did too. Then he talked about his problem, which was hoping that he could find redemption for the things, the mistakes he'd made, "But maybe some things you just don't come back from." Then she tells her situation with what she'd done to Cora, and in her usual stance tells him he deserves a second chance. He thought about its a for a few minutes or was it a couple of seconds later that he relents and asks for her help and she nods. Even though he said that nobody should know that she saw him. Yet she still nodded, however, she had to tell David and Marco about August, about Pinocchio. It was an easy lie, but she knew everything will be alright in the end.

Then she left the trailer and left the woods with her bow and arrow, she immediately knew what she had to do to help him. So, hoping that her husband is at the diner, she goes there as she didn't bring her phone with her. When she finds her husband, David smiles happily to see his wife has gotten better. But then they went towards the back of the hall where she told him about Pinocchio and his current state. It was that moment that David realizes, that things are getting worse.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN:** Hi everyone today has been a year since I brought What Was Once Lost and Forgotten onto this site. I am thankful for what the story has brought not only to me but also to you as the readers. I am grateful for getting more followers and favorites in this story. Since this is a special day, I've not only finished one chapter but two chapters and that is a feat for me, as I only started this chapter yesterday and finished it just now. As you can tell this is chapter is different from the different chapters, since I've been focusing on Storybrooke alone, I believe that taking a break and seeing what Emma is going through after she took the bite and is in a sleeping curse. I've hope you enjoy it!

 **Chapter 16: Netherworld**

When Emma ate the apple and swallowed it down, she remembered she was falling and down like it was a bottomless pit. She knew her legs must give way but that wouldn't be the case here, as she's in the land where those who took the sleeping curse would be taken. She heard first from her mother, then Aurora, and Henry. She remembered how her mom and Aurora talked about the Netherworld. She didn't care much about it, but she does remember that when they've gotten out from this land they would get sent back here and have nightmares about being in a room with burning fire.

Instead when she knows she's in the Netherworld, all that she sees is darkness all around with little light. She takes a closer look at the light and recognizes it's a torch, instantly she carefully gets the torch out and walks around not knowing what to do know. So, she walks around for a long time and sees mirrors, lots of them and she is pulled towards them. She goes to the first mirror and pushes it, and when she does, she is surprised that it pushed into a room, then she realizes the mirrors were doors.

She goes inside and then everything starts to play out like a movie. She gasps as she knows what memory she is seeing, it is her favorite memory, the happiest memory that she holds dear to her heart. It's the day she got married to Killian.

 _Emma is in a small hotel. She is alone for now until she sees Killian at the altar. She doesn't know what to feel. She's happy and yet she keeps thinking something along on the way, something is going to pull her away from here, from being in the Enchanted Forest. Nothing good doesn't come to her, so she's scared. She always fears she will be sent back to the land she comes from. Back on the bed, that everything that has happened was only a dream, that it wasn't real. She wasn't blind, the world isn't made of white and black, it's made of gray, of color, of life. She learned that recently and this feeling of being pulled away is more significant today as she's getting married. She still can't believe she's getting married at only seventeen years old._

 _Then she hears a knock at the door. She opens knowing it was the nice lady who's helping her to get ready for the big event. She met her a couple of days ago. "Hi Dorothy, come in," she said relieved._

 _"Hi Emma, how are you today?" Dorothy says._

 _"I'm doing okay."_

 _"Okay? You're getting married today and you're saying you're doing okay. Tell me how you are feeling? Look I know we barely know each other and you're all alone on your wedding day. For today I'm going to be your person to open to, it's your wedding day you should always have someone to be there for you, Emma let me be that someone." Dorothy said nicely, wanting to help her in more ways than one for today, she knows that Emma is alone, but she deserves to have someone to talk to and she hopes that Emma would let her be that._

 _"That sounds nice," Emma said while Dorothy starts to gather all the clothes to help Emma to put on. "Honestly I don't know what I should feel Dorothy." Emma breathes._

 _"Think about it," Dorothy says. So, Emma thinks for a few moments and suddenly is glad that she asked and realizes that she's right even though she's only a couple of years older than her._

 _"I'm in shock. I still can't believe that I'm getting married today and at seventeen years old. If someone told me a year ago or a couple of months ago before meeting Killian and arriving here, I would be crazy to believe such a thing. Good things don't come to me a lot and I'm afraid something is going to happen. I love Killian, I do, believe me, it's just…"_

 _"You're scared, that's good Emma. It's okay you're worried because everything will be fine in the long run. You're nervous and everything will be alright as long you'll have your husband, your partner by side nothing is going to go wrong. Now let's get you ready!"_

 _When the dress was finally on, and her hair was fixed, Emma finally got a chance to look at herself in the mirror. She couldn't believe it was her that was looking back. Her hair was down with some curls, though at the middle her hair was tied together with a crystal hair comb. Her dress was white with long sleeves, has a sweetheart neckline that's filled with lace at the top of her gown, while the rest of the gown was garnished with satin. The skirt was pleated and the gown itself looked lovely, it looks regal but also romantic, Emma thought that she would cry for a moment. It was at this moment that she smiled and realized that this is it. she is getting married today._

 _They then left for the small chapel. At the front door, a man stood there, and Emma was curious, why he was standing there. She recognized him immediately that it was Mr. Percy Creswell, a sailor who recently became retired. "Hello Miss Swan, you are a beauty, the lieutenant wouldn't know what hit him." He chuckled. "What are you doing Percy?" Emma asked. " Emma on these months aboard on the Jewel, I've come to see you as a daughter that I've never had, and I wish if I can hand you off to your groom, that is if you want me to?" he asked._

 _Emma smiled and thanked him. The next the doors were opening, and she was walking on the aisle, and seeing her Killian in his immaculate uniform, showing off his place in the navy, smiling at her, she knew she was ready. She smiled back and in no time, she holds Killian's hand. Then the preacher gathers everyone to sit down and make a speech about love and time. When he finished, Emma and Killian were relieved that he was done and was asking them to say their vows._

 _Killian went first. "Emma when I saved you, you took my breath away and in an instant everything changed. In such a short time you shortly became the person I love with all my heart. I promise that I will always be there for you, in good times and bad, may we always laugh together like we do now, and may the stormy days we encounter and the trials we face only ever make us stronger. I promise to celebrate with you, to encourage you, to always believe in you and to always be proud of the woman you are, and who you are to me. I promise to comfort, support and defend you if life ever brings you sorrow. I promise to be forever faithful to you, heart, body, mind and soul. I promise that from this day forward I will always love, honor and respect you, I will always stand by your side, there is nothing I won't do for you, all my life, I will live for you."_

 _When he said his vows, Emma started to tear up a little and when he finished, she decided to follow with heart and promise the same things he said. "Killian ever since you've rescued me, I wanted to go back home. Then in such a short time, we've got to know each other, I've realized that I didn't want to go back to where I'm from, it wasn't home. I realized I was at home already with you, and that you've stolen my heart. I will love you always, with my whole heart and it's with that I promise that I will always be there for you, in good times and bad, may we always laugh together like we do now, and may the stormy days we encounter and the trials we face only ever make us stronger. I promise to celebrate with you, to encourage you, to always believe in you and to always be proud of the man you are, and who you are to me. I promise to comfort, support and defend you if life ever brings you sorrow. I promise to be forever faithful to you, heart, body, mind and soul. I promise that from this day forward I will always love, honor and respect you, I will always stand by your side, there is nothing I won't do for you, all my life, I will live for you." Emma says crying with joy._

 _Then the preacher says to Killian, " Will, you Lieutenant Killian Jones take thee Emma Swan as your wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward as long as you both shall live?" "I do," Killian says._

 _" Will you Emma Swan take thee, Killian Jones as your husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward as long as you both shall live?" "I do," Emma says. Then the preacher finally says, "you may kiss the bride."_

 _When Killian and Emma's kiss now joined as one, as the preacher states, welcomes them as Mr. and Mrs. Killian Jones. The kiss they share was full of love, tender, hope for the future and what's to come. It was soulful. Then they stopped kissing looked at each other full of love, then looked at their audience, to their witnesses, as they clapped until they reached the doors of the chapel and left._

As Emma watches this, she cries of the time that she remembered as those memories were relived. The most important day of her life. It was then that she still does love him and after this when she gets awaken from her, she believes that they'll be stronger and closer in love than they ever been. She knows they've only been married for seventeen years, however the time that spent apart felt for her a long time, even though it's been what eleven years for her, it feels more like centuries. For Killian, it has been centuries for him and with this thought, if she remembers this moment, she wishes that they do a renewal of their love. With what they've been through, a renewal of their love feels right and, in those vows, they will promise to each other that they'll never be separated again, and if they do they would always find each other again, they would always be together.

After this she leaves the room and goes to each mirror and pushes it, seeing the memories that have become an important event for her. The torch that she was holding in the first room instantly vanishes back into the room of the darkness, where all mirrors reflect. It was then that as she gets closer to the torch that the memories that she didn't like, the ones that hold regrets or mistakes, feel it's burning into her skin. It feels like she's burning.

However, that doesn't mean she spent reliving memories that weren't also good as well. After reliving her wedding day, she has relived watching herself give birth to Felicity. Has watched the sixteen birthdays of her daughter, the first day she said 'I love you's to Killian, making love with him, okay she only saw a couple of them. She remembered watching the good memories where she was living countless bliss, a content smile on her face that she didn't want to ever change.

And there those memories that she was forced to relive again, the ones that make her cry.

 _We are treated to the shot of a wall clock hanging in a delivery room. The clock's hands point to 8:15, and Emma Swan, seventeen years old, is seen lying down on a delivery bed, giving birth to her child. Her left foot is shackled to the stirrup, for she is still serving time in prison, and a female police escort is waiting by the door. The doctor has his hands between Emma's legs as she shrieks in agony, and he and the assisting nurse encourage her to push further and further. Eventually, Emma can push the baby out, and when she does the lights that surround her start to flicker and burst, but this goes unnoticed by the attendants. The doctor holds the baby in his arms and tells Emma that it's a boy, but the blonde, who is recuperating from the laboring process, looks away. The doctor calls out to her, but Emma starts shaking her head, looking as though she is about to cry. The nurse whispers something in the doctor's ear, apparently telling him that Emma has no intention of keeping the baby. The doctor addresses her again, reminding her that she can change her mind, and Emma responds that she can't be a mother. The doctor walks away with the baby and Emma looks up at the ceiling and cries._

Seeing this memory has stuck to her core. That it wasn't fair how Felicity grew up with her and Killian, while Henry was adopted by the evil queen Regina. She didn't remember any of this when she was brought back to the land without magic. Everything that happened in the Enchanted Forest, stayed there where it belonged.

It came to no surprise where the first of many mistakes of memories came up. She knew it was shortly after she came back here from the Enchanted Forest where everything began.

 _Portland, Oregon_

 _A young Emma Swan walks cautiously up to a yellow "bug" car in a back alley, checking her surroundings as she does so. She discretely slips a long strip of metal from her sleeve and into her hand, before shoving it down the locks, opening the car. The blonde steps inside and closes the door, placing her purse on the passenger seat before retrieving a screwdriver and a large rock from it. Emma places the screwdriver into the ignition and bashes on the end of it with the rock multiple times, the engine soon starts, and Emma drives the car out of the alley and onto the road. A man sits up in the back seat, startling Emma, "You could've just asked me for the keys.", he tells her, dangling them from his hand, a shocked Emma continues to drive._ _Emma is still driving her stolen bug down the road with the mystery man sitting in the back seat, he tells her to keep on driving. She reminds him that she just stole his car and that his life could be in danger, he ignores this and introduces himself as Neal Cassidy, however, Emma refuses to tell him her name. He tells her that she doesn't need to and that her messy little robbery is showing little progress. "Emma... Swan.", she tells him, he says that that's a good name. She asks Neal if he lives in the car or is just waiting for it to be stolen, "Why don't I tell you over drinks?", he offers, Emma is taken aback by this and Neal reminds her to keep her eyes on the road, the car speeds past a STOP sign. Emma tells Neal that she's not having drinks with him as he might be a pervert, he says that he might be a pervert, but she's a car thief. "I told you, I'm sorry!", she exclaims, "You didn't, actually.", he points out. Police sirens are heard, and Emma looks behind herself to see police cars gaining on her, Neal tells her that that's why he said, "eyes on the road". Emma finds a clear spot and pulls over; the police stop behind her. Neal demands Emma's screwdriver; he quickly pulls it out of the ignition and puts the actual key in their place. A policeman walks over to Emma's window, which she winds down, he asks her for her license and registration. Just as the blonde begins to talk, Neal leans in behind her and begins to talk to the officer, apologizing for what's happened and lying that Emma's his girlfriend to whom he's teaching how to drive a stick. The officer mentions that she still has a lot to learn, "I know, but you know... women", Neal says. Emma looks at him angrily, but the officer lets the two of them off with a warning. Neal thanks the policeman as he walks back into the squad car, Neal himself steps out of the back seat and into the passenger seat of the bug. Emma asks him if he's some sort of misogynist and he snaps that she's welcome, telling her that they got lucky. Emma wonders what he means by that they both got lucky, "...this isn't your car, either, is it?", she asks, "I stole a stolen car." He smiles, as does she, before driving away._

Meeting Neal was one of those regrets and she felt even sorry that she thought Neal was Henry's father. She can't believe that not only did he found out about Henry, but also trying to protect Henry to why she thought he was Henry's father. She didn't even remember.

 _Emma and Neal are soon running around the corner, after Emma's well-executed fake labor, and Neal gets into the car, Emma takes the bag from under her dress which was acting like her baby bump and hops into the passenger seat, both ecstatic. She throws him the bag before closing the door, he looks in it and tells her she got a great haul. She thanks him as she buckles up and Neal pulls out the key chain he robbed, saying that he got it for her. Emma is touched, "You like it?", he asks, hopefully, Emma smiles and says she does, accepting the key chain before kissing Neal to express her gratitude. Neal says that they must go before driving the bug away from the store._

 _Later, elsewhere, Emma and Neal are parked outside of a motel, he puts his arm around her and smiles, "Twenty minutes to housekeeping.", he says._

 _The two thieves rush into their motel room and Emma unloads the haul she stole onto the bed as Neal shuts the door, taking off his jacket. He asks her if she wants a shower first but Emma is preoccupied with a Native American dream catcher left by the previous family - "They're supposed to keep all the nightmares out and only let the good dreams in to protect your home.", she explains to him. He suggests that they keep it, "Yeah, and hang it where, the car?", Emma asks jokingly, Neal says that that's not much of a home and suggests that maybe it's time they got a real place. Emma is stunned by this and Neal asks her why not, saying that they've been on the road long enough and that maybe it's time to retire the "Bonnie and Clyde act", asking her if she thinks it's about time. "Like where? Neverland?!", she snaps, he assures her that he's serious, saying they could do this. Neal spots a map of America on the dressing table and retrieves it, Emma laughs, "Where, I'll tell you where. Close your eyes and point. Whatever spot you pick... that's our home.", he instructs her, placing the map on the bed. Emma obliges, closing her eyes and pointing with her finger landing in the South-East area, "Tallahassee.", Emma announces, Neal tells her that she "got a winner", Emma is happy that they'll be near a beach and they decide that Tallahassee it is. "Are you sure this is what you want?", Emma asks, "All I want is you.", he assures her before they begin to kiss passionately._

This memory about Tallahassee stirred Emma her up into pieces, now of time she thought she was in love with Neal. But reliving it was proof to her that she cared about him and even fell for him, but she was young and naïve, thinking she was in love. That everything was going to be okay. She doesn't love him, she loves Killian more, he never left, he never betrayed her, he has done nothing bad to her. Killian showed that he'll never leave, only if it's forced. Killian has determination, he has and will do everything in his power to go back to her. it is with that realization that Killian is everything to her and dare she says it, her soulmate.

 _Emma is standing behind a tree in a park and emerges to Neal with a brown sack in her hand, telling him that she's got donuts and they've got jelly. He doesn't respond and she begins to walk with him, asking him what's wrong, he assures her that it's nothing, but she stops him and turns to face him, asking him, again, what's wrong. Neal takes a piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to Emma, saying that it was on the wall at the Post Office, Emma looks at it to realize it's a WANTED poster, Neal voices that he wasn't aware they still make them. Emma, confused, asks him when it happened, Neal explains that there's a high-end jewelry place that he went to where the manager's a drunk who would forget to lock the cabinets containing expensive watches - "I resisted, twice, but... third time this guy was asking for them to get took!", Neal insists. He goes on to say that he grabbed a couple of cases of watches and he hopped on a train to Portland, he mentions that the store has insurance and that he stashed the watches in a locker at the train station, saying that they're still there so it's hardly stealing. Emma takes this to mean that he got away clean, but he insists he didn't, telling her that the manager may have been a drunk, but the security cameras were completely sober. "I thought this heat had died down, but it hasn't. I'm sorry, Tallahassee's out... I got to go to Canada.", he tells her. Emma says that that's fine, mentioning that she likes maple syrup, but Neal tells her that he must be alone, she asks him why. He starts to say what will happen if he gets caught and she's with him but she assures him that he's not going to get caught, he asks her how she can say that as crossing the border's not easy, she says they can get fake IDs and passports but he reminds her that they cost money and that they have a stolen car. "We make it legit,", Emma suggests, "We take a PIN off another car." He tries to say that he won't have her in the seat next to him as he goes to jail but she has an idea - "What if I go and get the watches out of the locker? No one's looking for me. We can- We can fence them, and then we'll have the money, we can do whatever we want, we can go wherever we want, right?!", she points out, Neal laughs, "We can change our identities and go to Tallahassee.", she tells him reassuringly. He finds the irony in that she wants to steal the watches to help him get away with stealing the watches, she tells him that that is exactly what she wants to do. "I can't let you risk it.", "I love you.", she tells him, shutting him up. Neal tells the blonde that he loves her too, he asks her if she could do it, she tells him she knows she can. They smile at each other, touching noses._

This is mistake number two, Emma groans.

 _Emma stands before a group of lockers in the train station and cautiously takes a key from her pocket, twiddling it around within her hand, Emma looks to the guards who seem more occupied with their chat than with her and so she approaches the locker containing the cases of watches that Neal stole years before. Emma places the key into the lock and opens the locker, she pulls out the bag inside which contains the cases and slips it out, closing the locker door after she does so. Emma discreetly walks out of the train station, the cases in her hand._ _She is running from the train station with the case of watches in her hand, she throws the bag into her and Neal's and hops in herself, Neal kisses her before she closes the door. Neal opens the case and Emma looks at the watches, she notes that there's not as many as she would have thought but Neal closes the lid, assuring her that they're pricey and that that one case is easily worth $20,000. Emma is shocked by this and leans into Neal, "Tallahassee...", she whispers, they both smile. Neal tells her that he'll meet her at the fence, and she'll bring the money, Emma agrees, he reminds her that it's at the parking structure by the tracks at 9 o'clock, sharp, and Emma nods. Neal places a watch upon his accomplice's wrist, and she says that she supposes they're keeping that one, Neal asks her how they cannot when it looks so good on her. The pair kiss, "Tallahassee, baby. We're almost home.", he tells her. Neal steps out of the car and walks away, Emma mutters, "Home."_

 _At the parking structure where Emma is supposed to be meeting Neal for the fence, she stands there, checking her stolen watch. Emma takes out her cell phone and wanders a little forward, she tries to call someone but has no signal, "Looks like he set you up. Hands above your head, miss.", a police officer tells Emma, walking towards her with a gun pointed in her direction, Emma obliges, asking him why she needs to do so, "Possession of stolen goods. Left your holding.", the policeman tells her, Emma assures him that she has nothing, but the policeman tells her that her boy took off and is probably in Canada by now. "He called into the tip, told us to look at the surveillance footage at the train station, give me the watch...", he says, looking at Emma's raised wrists, "Now!", he cries, startling Emma. She slowly removes the watch and the policeman lowers his gun, taking out his handcuffs and walking towards Emma, asking her if she knows her rights. Emma says that she does, and the policeman takes the watch from her and asks her to turn around, she obliges, being cuffed as she does so. The officer asks her where the rest of the watches are and Emma says, "Gone. They're not coming back.", clearly using the watches as a metaphor for Neal. Emma is taken away._

This is Emma's biggest mistake, she doesn't even dare to look at the memory, that she's forced to relive in. She can't even believe she fell for Neal, for believing in him, for trusting him, for basically putting her to jail. After this, when she gets out of this god damn curse, she is going to punch not only Pinocchio but also Neal. She felt she was burning alive.

 _Emma goes to Felicity's room as she hears her thrashing around in her bed, crying and she realizes that her daughter is having a nightmare. Emma wakes her seven-year-old daughter up and hugs her, saying 'it's okay Felicity, everything is going to be okay Felicity.' Emma wipes the tears off her daughter's face. Eventually, Felicity stops crying._

 _"What is your nightmare about sweetie?" Emma softly says._

 _"You and papa were gone, and I was alone in a very scary place mama. I shouted for you and papa, but you and papa never came for me. It was a very scary mama."_

 _"Don't worry Felicity everything is going to be alright. I and Papa will always find you no matter what, you know that right honey." Her daughter nods, agreeing with mama. "We will always love you Felicity and if that ever happens, we will find you, no matter what, now get back to sleep sweetheart." Then she kisses her daughter on the forehead with a whisper coming from Felicity saying that 'I love you too.'_

As Emma watches this, it has come to show that she doesn't remember this at all and yet she knows the reason why. The promise that she made to her young daughter at seven years old was broken. She didn't realize it till now. After watching this memory, she relived for the second time of her life of the day that everything changed. When she was brought back here, what the Dark One Rumpelstiltskin did to her family in the Enchanted Forest, not even telling them she was pregnant with Henry. Reliving that again, she hit the wall many times and soon enough she fell through the walls and was now in the burning room. While she is relieved to have gotten out of the hall of mirrors, she doesn't know how long it has been since she was brought into the Netherworld. For all, she knew it could be a day, a week, a month, or worse yet a year. What's taking so long? She wonders what's going on in Storybrooke. She wonders when Killian will come to her and break their curse with true love's kiss.


	17. Chapter 17: One Step Closer

**Chapter 17: One Step Closer**

While Mary Margaret told her husband about August's predicament, it came to no surprise that they should tell Marco about his son's current state. Immediately they agreed that the Blue Fairy would help. Unknown to them Tamara listened to the conversation and decided to return to a long-lost friend. When Mary Margaret, David, and Marco are in the woods searching for the trailer, Marco suddenly says that this is all his fault. Mary Margaret assures the old man that children make their own decisions and that he can't blame himself for anything that's happened, but Marco thinks differently, saying that Snow should blame him too. He then steps out in front of Snow and David, and the three of them stop moving as Marco explains that the wardrobe he built for Snow, the one that transported Emma to this world, she did not go alone. "Of course she did; the wardrobe only had enough magic to transport one person," Mary Margaret says, going to continue walking but she gets stopped by Marco who exclaims that that was a lie he made the Blue Fairy tell her - it had enough magic to transport two, and it did, her daughter and his son. "I could have gone with her..." Mary Margaret says in a saddened tone, and as Marco tells them that there is no apology, he could give that could ever make up for what he did. He removes his hat and adds that he is so sorry, however, Mary Margaret suddenly slaps him hard across the face.

Marco clutches his cheek but the old man states that it's okay as he deserved it. Snow stares at her hand and assures the two of them that that wasn't her, before telling Marco that she was so sorry and she's not herself; "You just made a mistake, I would have done the same thing for my child - I forgive you, you were protecting your son." Marco shakes his head, saying that in fact, he burdened Pinocchio with a weight no child should have to bear, and he called it love. Mary Margaret looks up to the old man, about to reply, but is stopped in her tracks by something she sees. Marco then looks behind him and sees August's trailer buried in the trees, and he, Mary Margaret and David walk towards it. Soon enough, Marco opens the trailer door and walks inside, followed by Mary Margaret, however, he is deeply disappointed to discover that no one is inside. David, who's standing at the door, looks to his wife as they both realize the same thing: August is gone.

Instead August was getting away from Storybrooke after Tamara's unexpected visit to his trailer as she said for him to do and what he knew what she was doing. If it wasn't for the bump on the road, he found the picture that he remembered and suddenly everything became clear to him. He needs to warn David and Mary Margaret, so he swerves his car and heads to the sheriff station praying and hoping that David is there. Of course, he isn't and there in its wake was Tamara with a taser, she warned to not come back and tasered him while she left quickly.

David, Marco and Mary Margaret are seen marching through the streets of Storybrooke in search of August as the prince looks at his cell phone. He says that if August is still at the sheriff's station, then he's not picking up, and puts his cell in his inside pocket. As they approach the station, August is seen stepping out of the door, having just been tasered by Tamara, and stumbles towards the group of people who all rush to his aid. He struggles to stand up and soon collapses as everyone approaches him. Marco kneels beside him and turns him over, and Marco asks his son what happened to him. August tells his father that he's sorry, but Geppetto assures him that there's nothing to apologize for and that everything is going to be alright. August then turns his head and looks at David. He suddenly sits up, to whisper something in the blonde's ear. As he does so, he manages to say, "David, don't… trust… her,… her name is…" however, he soon stops drawing breath and remains still, and Marco cries as he sets his son back down on the ground, not being able to go through this again.

Snow and Charming watch, saddened, as they see Neal arriving on the scene, who is shocked to see Marco crying over a dead August. Mary Margaret states that he can't end this way as he was supposed to get a second chance, and Neal asks what happened. David explains that someone killed him to stop them from telling them something and that he used his last, dying breath to warn them, Mary Margaret then assures Marco that she will not let that be in vain. Young Henry looks down at the scene, "I'm here," says Mother Superior who emerges from behind the Charming's, having run to the scene. The fairy reminds them all that she was able to turn Pinocchio into a real boy after he sacrificed his life for Marco's, she says that if his actions today were indeed brave, truthful and unselfish, then Henry's right, there's a chance she can do it again.

However, when she revived him again, he wasn't a man, he was a young child once again. Even though Pinocchio won't remember, David asked what he was going to say. However magic always comes with a price, by reviving him, it took all his memories away from his adult life as August. As this was unraveling, Tamara appeared and stood next to her fiancé. As she took in the scene in front of her, she believed in magic and told Neal that she now believes and that she loves him. Then everyone left along with Tamara's secrets that no one knows about. For her everything was going smoothly.

As the day progresses, David is still pondering what August has said to him in his last breath as an adult. He wonders to whom he was talking about, he briefly thought about it. If Emma was here, she probably is jealous and thinks it would be Neal's fiancée, Tamara. Yet he thought about Tamara and he thinks it could be her, but he is trusting Neal now, surprisingly, even though he's the Dark One's son. Who he can he trust, he doesn't know, and yet there's a seed of doubt already planted in his head, it could be Tamara who is going to hurt Storybrooke and if she does, then he's going to kill or most likely hurt Neal. With that, he changes his clothes as night came and sleeps with his wife as the events are shaking down.

As the day unfolds, Killian Jones is planning how to go to the hospital without being seen. So, his day is trying to figure how to go to not only the hospital unseen, but also going to Emma's room in the hospital unseen as well. Nobody can know what Captain Hook would do. They don't know him as Killian Jones, and they only know him as his Captain Hook persona. At the end of the day, he learned about the hospital and the ways he could go unseen. He found a way to get the place unseen, but the problem still lies in about going to Emma's room unseen. He groans when he goes to his bed.

The next day David gets a message shortly after waking up from Leroy about the special project they've been working on since Emma left with Mr. Gold to New York. It's only been a couple of days, but progress has gone rapidly. So, Mary Margaret and David went to an empty field. As they went through an invisible barrier there were rows and rows of magic bean crops being farmed. Anton found them and raptly turned into them and led them where Leroy was at so that they can see it for themselves that a few of the beans are already ready to use. It was a big news cause for celebration. Shortly after they left with David going to the sheriff's station and resume his position as acting sheriff. While Mary Margaret goes back to the apartment and watches over Henry, who is most likely still asleep.

She was right when Mary Margaret went back to the apartment, and like as she left it, it was still quiet meaning Henry was still asleep. It didn't even dawn yet, they woke up very early today and shortly when she and David were up Leroy sent them a message, so they left quickly. A few moments later it was dawn and Henry was up. So, she asked what he wants for breakfast and gave him breakfast; moments like these she thought this is what she wants to be like, what a real family is like and wonders when will Emma wake up, she only sighs as she doesn't want to think about her daughter's current state. She then changed her thoughts to Henry and wonders where he got those traits, that her, her husband, and daughter didn't have. As he didn't have to go to school today, she's going to spend the day with her grandson.

As Henry eats, he thought it was high time to meet Captain Hook, to talk to him and find out the truth, he needs to find out. So, he looks to his grandmother, and asks "Grandma," he starts.

"Yes Henry" Snow said wondering what her grandson will say.

"I was thinking," Henry hesitantly asks not knowing how she'll react, "can I visit Captain Hook?"

Okay, Snow thought she wasn't expecting that. "Why would you want to visit Captain Hook," she asked curious to know why.

"I want to talk to him." He simply stated but then considered that he needs to say more. "Also, I trust him." When he says this, Mary Margaret's eyebrow raised, more curious than ever. "Grandma, when I and mom were coming back here from Manhattan, I've spent time with Captain Hook, he taught me how to sail grandma, and I like him."

"Then I guess it's alright to visit him, but I'm coming with you." Then Henry sighs and knew it would come to this.

"That's the thing grandma, I want to visit him alone." Henry nervously said. Then he sees his grandma's expression. He then makes a pout and promises that he'll meet up with her at Granny's diner for lunch, and then he knows this time that he has won. She said yes.

As Henry changed into clothes, he went out the door and headed to the docks.

When Killian Jones woke up at dawn, he groans at another day to spend at the hospital, trying to figure out how he's going to Emma's room without being seen, he needs a plan. After changing into clothes and ate a meager of food down in the galley for breakfast, as he goes back on the deck about to get down as he leaves the ship, he stops. He suddenly sees Henry and he is surprised to see him there on the dock. He went down to the docks and immediately Henry was there relieved that he found Captain Hook.

"Henry, lad what are you doing here in the early morning at the docks?" Killian said.

"I was trying to find you," Henry said, unsure of what he wants to say.

"Without your mom, Regina, or your grandparents, lad?" Killian says his curiosity piqued up.

"I want to talk to you alone. Can we go on the Jolly and talk?" Henry said, his confidence now returned.

"Follow me, lad." Then they both went on the Jolly Roger. Killian then turns to Henry and crunches down on his knees facing him, "now Henry what do you want to talk about the lad, I gather it's very important."

"I want, no I need to know the truth."

"About what master Henry?"

Henry takes a deep breath, looks into Captain Hook's eyes and asks, "Are you, my dad?" Killian then felt stammered, not knowing what to say, he didn't see this coming, that Henry has found out. Now he's expecting an answer and he's all stumbled up, unbelieving what the lad said. He looks at Henry seeing his green eyes, like Emma's eyes looking at him. He repeats the question and then he added, "when I met you, I felt being connected to you and when you taught me how to sail, I wished that you could be my dad. Is it true? "

Killian then sighs and he knows that Emma wanted to do this properly, with him and her telling Henry that he's his father. Emma and he planned and suddenly he is thrust upon what to do and decided that telling the truth now is better now that Henry has figured it out. "Yes, I'm your father, Henry."

Then he watches the lad become excited as he shouts, I knew it. Then he hugs his dad, repeating himself that he knew it. But then realizes something important. "That means you can wake mom up, right?"

"Yes, I can lad, and I'm planning to until I've got a plan."

"What's the plan?" Henry asks and as he sees his father's expression, he knew where this was going. "I can help, you never know if I don't help and besides you need me because nobody knows the truth between you and mom."

Killian then silently curses to himself a bloody hell. Then he tells his son his plan.

As Henry listens, he knew his father needed help as he learned what his father has planned. He listened; it was a good plan. His father told him of his worries, and Henry found the perfect solution, it was simple, and most of all he would help his father to kiss mom. "Dad how about I can come with you. I can be a distraction when we're in the hallway of mom's room, I can cause a ruckus or something and while I do that you can get in mom's room no problem and everybody will be looking at me rather then you."

Killian looked at his son gobsmacked. He couldn't believe it, this is exactly what he needed, a distraction. All he did was tell Henry his plan and put it that him walking into Emma's room with empathizes, explaining how he doesn't want anyone to know about their secret is pivotal, explaining that Emma and he will be explaining to everyone about them. "Looks like we've got a plan son." Killian then ruffles his son's hair, "you did a great job, Henry, I'm proud of you." Henry then smiled at this.

"When will we do Operation Nightingale dad?" Henry asked and suddenly he looked at his dad and asked what Operation Nightingale is. Henry then explained what Operation is, he explained when he first did Operation Cobra it was a way to talk about how to end the first curse, how it's a plan in disguise to talk about their operations openly with secrecy. Then this plan is going to be Operation Nightingale, which is to wake mom up. When Killian has finally found out what it means, he had learned that his son is clever and creative, a trait that came from both he and Emma, another trait of his is having hope and to not give up, Henry got that from him, while he's more of an optimist, Emma's a realist.

After his thoughts have caught up and was brought back to reality as Henry is looking at him, waiting for an answer. He says, "we will do it soon lad, not tomorrow, but maybe the day after tomorrow." Henry nodded in agreement.

Then Henry looked out at the sky, guessing he's only been here an hour or two, decides to ask his dad, "How did you mom and meet? I've still got time." Killian only chuckles, how he almost sounds like a wise person, almost like an adult. As much as Killian thought it should be, he and Emma explaining how they've met to Henry, he knows he won't get that moment, besides the truth sounded better to be told right away instead of waiting. So, he told the story to Henry how he met Emma for the first, as he saved Emma's life as she was drowning in the Enchanted Forest, how she wanted to get back here, trying to not fall in love with me, trying to think that everything was going to be a dream but as time moved on, she accepted the reality and tried to get know me. Then the next you know I proposed to her, she said yes, we got married and having a great life, how everything was bliss until the day Liam died and he felt like his world was falling apart but put himself together as he had Emma. He stops there and hesitated not knowing if he should tell Henry that he has a sister.

However, Henry noticed his hesitance. He then asked was he leaving out something important, that he may want to know. With another sigh, Killian then told him shortly after they've got married, that Emma got pregnant with their first child and Henry thought it was him however, he was wrong as Henry heard that when Emma give birth, it was a girl named Felicity and told him he has a sister. Henry then asked what happened to her, however, Killian continued with the story. Explaining the new life he held with Emma and Felicity in tow, how it was filled with content, that everything was going well until the king has found them and they fled to the ship where the left their home of eight years, how from then on they all lived on the Jolly for the rest of the oncoming years. Until another eight years passed by and this time, they've encountered the Dark One, Rumpelstiltskin, one day and everything changed. He then told Henry that he was thrust upon a new persona as Captain Hook, and how he believed the false life he led according to the fake memories that the Dark One has given him until Emma broke the curse and how he's been getting few memories back in his sleep, most of the time, that the memories are trying to come back to them, however, they won't get them truly back until true love's kiss was done and told him that he suspected by reliving Emma from the sleeping curse would also bring back their memories back.

At that time when everything was said and done, they've heard Henry's stomach rumble. It was time for Henry to meet with his grandma at the diner. Henry then asked him to walk with him. When they turned into the white fence to the entrance to the diner, embracing each other quickly before they get inside not expecting what's going to come next. When Hook opened the door and he and Henry were inside, the talking that was happening all came to a standstill as they saw Captain Hook inside the diner for the first time, immediately Mary Margaret stood up and walked toward them, and suddenly the diner was back to the way it was before like it never happened.

"Thank you for escorting Henry to the diner, Hook." Snow said.

"It was no problem, your majesty, a child shouldn't be walking alone in the town. "Captain Hook said then before he leaves, he ruffles his son's head. "Before I take my leave, Henry don't forget to come back in two days for Operation Nightingale.

"I will come to see you in two days, Captain." Henry said smiling, then he watches as his father leaves through the door then walks back with his grandma to a booth as they then have lunch.

The talk with his grandma was a somber one, as she questioned what Operation Nightingale is and all Henry replied that it was a need to know bases and that she will like it. To Snow when her grandson said about Operation Nightingale, it sounded he was being cryptic like when she talked to Hook a couple of days when Emma went to Manhattan with Henry and Mr. Gold. Besides that, the rest of the day went splendidly as they spent the rest of the day with each other, getting to know each other, they even visited the police station to visit David.

After Henry and Mary Margaret visited David at the Sheriff's station, David still couldn't put the seed of doubt in his head. He's still trying to work out who is she, that August tried to warn him about, so when he knew Neal and Tamara were out, away from their room he may have done some reconnaissance. He thoroughly went through the room and he didn't find out much but after he puts the stuff away, he spotted a piece of paper that had names on it, it wasn't any ordinary names, it was names from this town placing people with whom they are to their fairytale persona. He wonders if Neal knew about this, wondering if he should tell him but then he seemed clueless about what he's wandering fiancé is doing. It was with this thought that David knew that Neal has no clue what's going on with Tamara. He also figured out why Greg Mendall is still here and knew that Tamara isn't working alone, he knows for certain that they must know each other but the one question that still lingers in his head was, what are they planning to do to Storybrooke. Instantly he puts the list away knowing that something bad is coming quick, he has the bad feeling in his chest and he's learning to trust that.

However, at the end of his shift, he and Leroy decided to check on the beans. When they arrived, they saw the beans were destroyed, the whole plantation was fire burnt, everything they had worked for now crumbled up in ash. Wishes of going back to their home to the Enchanted Forest were gone. Instantly they both thought about who would've done this, and only one could do this, David knew it in his gut that Regina did this, and the only reason why would be to get Henry. He then decided he would find talk to her tomorrow. Now how was he going to try and explain to his wife that their dreams of returning to their home were very slim, there was no chance at all from the looks of it.

For Henry Mills and for Killian Jones it was a good day for them, that at the end of the day, right before they each fell asleep, they smiled knowing that they're one step closer to waking Emma up. For Henry, it was knowing that he has a family that's close to completion, learning that he has a sister out there somewhere, it was no wonder for Henry that he's excited about what he has learned today. One step closer was the last thought before their eyes were closed before they drifted out to sleep.


	18. Chapter 18: Beyond the Horizon

**Chapter 18: Beyond the Horizon**

 **AN: Hello readers welcome to the last chapter of season two. I'm going to warn you that this chapter is the longest chapter I've ever done, so I hope it's worth it. I hope that you enjoy it! Until then Happy Holidays to everyone and a happy new year!**

At Storybrooke the next day when Henry was going to visit Regina along with his grandpa escorting him to the mansion that is the mayor's, they knocked and knocked only to be found an empty mansion. So, David kicked the door and called out for Regina and checked the whole mansion and it seems she has vanished somehow. However, David also got confirmation that Regina did destroy the bean plantation and has her bean for herself, not surprisingly he thought but she would use it for her wishes and probably lure Henry to her. However, the question remains where Regina is.

Regina, on the other hand, is enraged. Can't believe where she's at, what's happening to her, it seems now she knows the true intentions of the strangers who came into town. She learns one lesson, and it's very simple. Do. Not. Trust. Strangers. Especially those that come from the land without magic. She was wary before however, she was concentrating on getting Henry back to her from the Charmings that she didn't pay enough attention to Greg Mendall and the Dark One's son's fiancé.

Now she is lying down, being tortured with shocks of electricity. Laying down here she thinks how she should be a better mother to Henry instead of pushing him away. When you feel like you're dying, everything becomes clear with every shock, literally in her case, how does she become a better person, yet she is still alive, dying does that to you as she feels another wave of pain encompassing her. She groans and the plan that she made to tell Henry about the bean suddenly fades away, her going to see Maleficent getting the scroll of the Dark Curse that was supposed to be a two-man job turned into one since she decided to leave Captain Hook after learning his true intentions lie. The scroll could and will destroy the town is her insurance and it was a good thing she gotten it yesterday. It was a good thing she did, it was the only thing she got right, hearing the plans from the strangers about destroying magic.

Now she realizes that if she does die, then no one would find out the true intentions of the strangers. She can't feel pathetic about it anymore, instead, she knows she must survive to tell the in acting Sheriff of the town who happens to be the Charmings, they need to know. At that revelation and realization, she must be strong and stay survive even though she can't do a damn thing of getting out herself. For the first time in a long time, she hopes someone, anyone she prays and hopes for the longest of time that she had never done before to find her before she is dead. She doesn't know how long she'll last. She can try to survive. She can try to be a better person, be a better mother to Henry, she does love him, but he doesn't see it. If she's going to try, then she needs help and must ask the help of that cricket, what was his name Dr. Archie Hopper, that sounds right. After all of this, she's going to need help no doubt especially after surviving this.

After discovering Regina is missing, David Nolan takes Henry to the diner and asked Ruby and Granny to watch him as he goes to the apartment and tell Snow of what has happened and then ask for help. Immediately after telling Snow they left the apartment and decided to go to Rumpelstiltskin was the best option for them. At Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer, Gold is busy drinking with Lacey when Mary Margaret and David walk in, catching the pawnbroker's attention. David says that he's sorry to interrupt the party and Gold comes back with that he certainly doesn't remember inviting them two, telling them that he's closed. Mary Margaret states that he's not closed to them, explaining that Regina's missing and they think she might be in danger. Gold states that that's "just the way I like her", asking them again to leave, however, David points out that despite Gold's feelings on Regina, he still owes him a favor. Lacey looks to Gold, confused before he tells her to give him a minute as he has some business to attend to, and she tells him to make it quick before vacating the room and taking her glass with her. Gold heads to his cabinets and says that he's sure he can whip up something to help find Regina but wonders why the Charmings want to help the Evil Queen. Mary Margaret states that it's because she owes her after what she did to Cora and Gold smiles as he places a tiny wooden container on the desk, saying that one can never underestimate the power of a guilty conscience. He opens the lid of the wooden box and takes out a small glass vial containing a transparent liquid. Mary Margaret wonders what it is, and Gold tells her that it's one of Regina's tears. They wonder why he would have one to which he ambiguously replies, "Because I do." He approaches them with the vial and tells them that the spell he's trying to cast, however, requires two tears. David and Mary Margaret look to one another until the latter realizes that he wants one from her. He advises her to think of a dark moment; something bleak and hopeless, saying that he knows she has a few. The vial is placed at her eye as Mary Margaret's face grows saddened and her eyes begin to water, producing a single tear that flows into the vial, creating a sparkle with Regina's as Gold charms them.

Over at Mary Margaret's apartment, David is seen holding the vial containing the pipette with his wife's and Regina's tears. He tells the former that she doesn't have to do this as she's been through enough already, but Mary Margaret argues that that's why she does have to do it, as her heart is dark because of what she did to Regina and so if she could help find her and save her, maybe it will help let some of the light back in. David looks into his wife's face and smiles, removing the liquid-filled pipette from the vial and approaching Mary Margret's eyes with it. She tilts her head back as he stands over her and he drips the tears into her eye, causing her to take a large blink. David steps back as Mary Margaret adjusts, nothing seeming to have happened. She shakes her head, and David restores the pipette in disappointment. Suddenly, Mary Margaret is overcome by something. She gasps and leans forward, feeling exactly what Regina feels as we flash to the straps on the bed, the electrodes on her head and her hands and Greg turning up the machine which is currently sending massive, painful surges of electricity through the Evil Queen, and by extension, Mary Margaret. Snow White leans back in her chair as she writhes in unbearable pain still flashing to what Regina is also going through. As Mary Margaret's severe electrocution worsens, David continues to call out her name in panic.

They didn't learn much however the smell of sardines did pique up as it might be a clue. It was there that they knew where they should go next. On the way there Neal asked where his Tamara might be as he didn't know. David asked where he thought where his fiancé was, and Neal said the woods, however, David differs so Neal may have done a little digging in his room and found sand in the closet. But he said that she could also like running at the beach. David then says that he and his wife are going towards the same extension and invited Neal along. As the trio gets closer, David gives Mary Margaret a gun along with a walkie talkie so that they're planning in place as they get closer to the Storybrooke Cannery Co.

On a laptop screen showing security footage, Tamara sees Neal, Mary Margaret, and David inside the cannery, hurriedly packing away some things. She knocks on the window which leads to the room where Greg is torturing Regina and the two of them meet at the doorway. Tamara says that Neal has found them, which a very weak Regina overhears, and Greg says that he thought they were taken care of. Tamara says that she did too but that she was wrong and the two of them must get out of there now. Greg refuses, saying that he needs more time with Regina, but Tamara tells him that if he gets caught, the entire operation is blown. He reminds her that they wouldn't even know about the town if it wasn't for his dad and states that he's not leaving until he finds out where he is. He heads back to his torture machine and Tamara begrudgingly accepts this, telling him to meet her where they agreed when he's done, before walking away. Greg turns up a dial on the machine as Regina watches and he tells her that he's going to give her one last chance to tell him where his father is. Regina remains silent and Greg soon tells her that time's up, turning back to his machine and preparing to kill her, however, she tells him to wait. Greg hurriedly asks her where Kurt is and Regina gives a sick little smile before replying, "Dead." Greg's face turns utterly glum as Regina goes on to explain that she killed him the minute Owen ran away. Greg insists that she's lying to him, but she says that if he doesn't believe her, then he can go and see for himself as she buried his body at their campsite. "Now go ahead and kill me," she decrees, "I just wanted to see the look on your face when I-" she is cut off when Greg violently hits his machine and the full charge of energy surges through her, causing her to scream out in absolute pain.

When the trio arrived at the Cannery, Mary Margaret decided to search the basement while David and Neal search the main floor. Greg is seen holding down the button on his torture machine as Regina writhes in electrical pain. He relinquishes the button and the surge stops, causing a barely alive Regina's head to drop, still conscious. Greg asks her if she feels that, exclaiming that it's the end of her. He slams his hand on the button again and Regina's electrocution continues as her tearful eyes glisten and her body begins to give up, falling back down on the table before the surge is over again. As she lies still, Greg tells her that she's never going to hurt anyone ever again. He goes to push his button once more, however, his machine is shot and busted by an array of bullets fired by Mary Margaret who enters the room. Greg runs away while Mary Margaret frantically undoes Regina's many straps and then uses the walkie talkie saying that she's going to get her to Mother Superior and warning him that Greg Mendall may come to their direction.

Suddenly, David is hit on the back of the head by a large metal pole and falls to the floor. Tamara, the one who hit him, tells Neal that, it was, as she picks up David's gun from the floor and aims it at him, saying that she just had some help. Neal raises his hands into the air and asks Tamara what she's doing, to which she replies that she's got to keep magic out of this world as it doesn't belong there, and he more than anyone should understand that - it's a poison. Neal comes to grips with the fact that Tamara's been lying to her and asks her how long she's been doing so. She begins to babble about how important her work is, but he exclaims again, "How long?!" "Since the beginning," she tells him, "Since I 'spilled' coffee on you."

He realizes that it wasn't an accident and Tamara merely stares at him, keeping her gun fixed as he states that none of what they had was real. She tells Neal that she knows he's a good man and begs him to understand that she had an important job to do that she thinks he can agree with. He ignores her, saying that she never loved him, and she confirms this. He tells Tamara that he can't let her leave, before approaching her, but the gun-toting woman tells him not to, before pulling the trigger and shooting Neal in the side, causing him to stumble backward and fall to the floor. Tamara approaches him as he sees the blood of his new wound and aims the gun at his face, ready to execute him, she, emotionless, tells him that she's sorry, and David, who's now awake, comes charging towards her and tells her that she should be, before kicking the gun out of her hand. He punches Tamara in the face and throws another fist which is blocked by Tamara's arm. The blonde has his head hit against the wall before he turns around and grabs Tamara's hair, pushing her to the wall and slamming her face into it as she cries with pain. As the two fight, Neal begins to keel over with the pain of his bullet wound and Tamara throws several kicks David's way which he keeps attempting to block successfully. Tamara tries putting him into a headlock and kneeing him in the stomach which was another not fruitful. David then notices the gun still on the floor. He decides to use her vantage point and lifts Tamara over her shoulder before slamming her down onto the floor as the black woman screeches. He quickly runs to the gun and picks it up, aiming it for the floored Tamara who sits up, the former saying that it's over. Quickly, Tamara grabs something from her pocket, saying it's not, and she throws down a magic bean that rolls near Neal's feet, having now been activated and glowing with magic. A portal begins to open, and the entire floor is torn away. Neal then tries to crawl away from it while Tamara stands up and watches this, saying goodbye before walking away and leaving them behind. Even though David hates Neal for the moment he knows he must try and save if only because he's the Dark One's son and doesn't want to feel the wrath of Rumpelstiltskin. He tries to lift him as Neal holds on to his wound and the pole that has fallen which is becoming a harder thing to try, David tries with all his might however as the portal starts to get stronger, before the inevitable happens Neal says to David to tell him I'm sorry and before David asks another question, Neal says to both, meaning to him and his family along with Rumpelstiltskin. Neal then falls into the green vortex as it then disappears.

Back at the apartment, Regina wakes when Mary Margaret places a towel upon Regina's forehead when David approaches them after he just came from Mr. Gold's shop and told him about his son's state. Regina realizes that Snow White saved her, and she confirms it before David asks if she thinks they would let her die. Her face doesn't know how to react as the prince tells her that, despite their differences, they're family. Regina takes a deep breath, still very weak, and asks the whereabouts of Greg and Tamara, at which David tells her that they got away. "Oh, so they still have it..." Regina utters, worried. Mary Margaret asks her what she's referring to. "A trigger?" David asks Regina in the apartment as she explains the fail-safe to them. "That will destroy Storybrooke," the mayor finishes. She says that she had a fail-safe built into the curse and Mary Margaret asks her why exactly she was carrying around in an accusatory tone. David states that Regina was planning on destroying them and she casually says that she was going to use the beans to take Henry back to the Enchanted Forest. "And in the process... kill all of us..." Mary Margaret says, horrified. Regina asks them if they want to discuss justification, reminding them that they were planning on abandoning her before suggesting that they discuss a more pressing issue - she no longer controls the trigger. Regina then says that Tamara has it and that is the problem because as Regina explains to them, as the strangers want to get rid of magic, they must destroy that.

Greg is seen holding the black diamond and asks Tamara what they're supposed to do with it. She tells him that "they" want them to move to the next phase, which causes Greg's eyes to widen, surprised at how fast things have moved along. "There's only one way to get what we all want," Tamara tells him, taking the diamond from Greg's hand and holding it with her own, "We have to blow Storybrooke off the map."

The day has gotten worse than they all feared and with Emma still in the sleeping curse, they've realized they all need more hope than ever. So, the day ended not well for the heroes as they face this new dilemma with heavy hearts.

Her hair is dark brown that somewhat curly hair, between wavy and curly hair she has, her eyes are bright blue-green eyes, her most striking feature of herself with fair skin. She looks far away across the island into the ocean, a place that she hits very much, even though it was the Dark One itself who forced her to live here and here she is trapped and the annoying young preteen infuriates her along with his group who go out, annoying her, getting into fights with her, and well life has never been fair to her. She was different before she reached this wrenched land led by a demon, here she must fight almost every single day. There are days where it's good and others that are not. As she overlooks the horizon, even thinking beyond the horizon with dreams and good fortunes of reuniting with her parents, she takes a breath and climbs down to the tree everything fades away. Then she feels something in the core of the island, the magic in the air she sees, the magic that she feels within herself, she knows something is coming. Something is changing and she hopes that it will be her parents coming to rescue her, besides she knows she's been here for centuries, she stopped counting a very long time ago, her hope seemed to vanish due time however as the changes begin in the earth of this island right now, hope fills inside. Whatever is coming, she is ready for it.

As the next day comes around, Greg and Tamara set up their plan as they go down to the caves to activate the black diamond from one of the dwarves' pickaxe. With the pickaxe in Greg's hand and Tamara puts the diamond down on the track, Greg simply hits the diamond with the pickaxe and the next thing the diamond was shining blue, knowing destroying Storybrooke was just coming into fruition as the diamond has now activated.

At the apartment, Regina is done with being in bed rest after getting electric shock into her, multiple times. The Charmings are there as they watch her with Henry happy that his mom Regina is going to be alright and hugged her. Then a knock was heard from the door. David opens the door and surprises to see Captain Hook at the entryway, and well he is in shock while the Captain asks if he can go in and with no answer from David Killian is inside the apartment. After Killian gets in the apartment suddenly the earth tremor, causing the things in the apartment to shake and a plate to fall from the counter and smash, and when it ends, Mary Margaret asks Regina if that was the thing she was talking about, and Regina answers positively, stating that the diamond has been activated. Henry asks if they're all going to die, but Regina explains that he was born there, so he'll live, and the kid doesn't seem to relish in the thought of being alone. Regina tells her son that she's very sorry. As Killian hears this, he was glad he was there to get Henry and start Operation Nightingale and after the operation has ended he has to tell Emma about what is going on with Storybrooke.

Henry then puts his backpack on eagerly knowing what today means. Mary Margaret, David, and Regina are still looking at Captain Hook eyeing him warily as he hasn't said a word of why he's there. Henry then looks at them and says, "remember grams about Operation Nightingale," Henry starts to say and Mary Margaret nods remembering that day that Henry hanged out with Captain Hook, "today is the day we're working on Operation Nightingale. Bye, I'll see you all soon, come on Hook." Henry says as he leaves with Hook opening the door and closing it.

"Why is my son with Captain Hook?" Regina then bellowed.

"A few days ago, Henry hanged out with Captain Hook by himself. When Hook brought him back to the diner, they bonded and talked about Operation Nightingale reminding Henry that he'll get him in two days, which is today, and Regina I don't know anything about the said operation." Mary Margaret says.

"Why was Henry alone with Captain Hook and why wasn't I do not know about it?" Regina then bellows again.

"Henry begged for him to go alone because he already bonded when they were coming from Manhattan and, he said he trusts him. I believe Henry also said he wants to get to know some things from him, I think." Mary Margaret then says. It was then all of them were curious as they recall Archie's escape remembering how Emma said she trusts the captain and now they're hearing from Henry that he, too does trust him as well. It was very curious indeed for the trio but then Regina knows a little more about the captain than the Charmings that she knows of, and with that in mind thinking maybe Henry maybe Captain Hook's child as well. She would've groaned at the prospect of it out loud but guessed that wasn't the right thing to do and instead focuses on the current problem and to destroy the diamond so no one can die from the wreckage of the activated diamond as it will destroy everything in Storybrooke including them since they all come from the Enchanted Forest truly and not the land of without magic.

As Regina knows what to do, Snow and Charming decided they will help Regina no matter what. While Operation Nightingale goes underway as Henry and Killian are already at the hospital as they cut through some alleys that Henry didn't know about. They then go through the stairs and when they to the floor where Emma is residing, Henry gets out first and provides a big distraction. The distraction enacts quickly and effectively enabling Killian to go to Emma's room with no trouble at all.

As Killian enters the room, he sees Emma laying down on a hospital bed with tubes that are in her. For him, he never thought he'll see his beautiful and strong wife so vulnerable. In all his life he doesn't even remember all his life that he spent with her and he wants all back, the memories. All that he could remember was them before Emma became in this state, dealing with them and falling in love with her again, somehow, they fell in love with one another again. Everything between them was impossible and a miracle all in one. He takes a few steps as he goes closer to Emma, recalling when he first kisses her when he was a lieutenant, the kiss as they became one after exchanging vows as they become husband and wife, he lifts his head closer to her and as he leans closer he closes his eyes and kisses her. Immediately he looks down at her, as she then breathes again and wakes up slowly and smiling when she sees Killian there close to her, she then puts her arms around his neck and kisses him. Then she cries and laughs with happiness as memories were brought back to them from their almost eighteen years spent together now come back.

"I miss you Killian so much. I love you."

"I miss you too my love, Mrs. Jones and never doubt my love for you Emma. Never doubt that I will always find you."

Then the door opens and closes quickly and was locked by Henry. He then sees his mom and cries for her, happy that Operation Nightingale worked out seamlessly. Emma gets up from the bed and with help from Killian hugs Henry then unexpectedly Henry brings Killian in the hug and calls them his parents for the first time, calling his dad for the first time with mom in reach.

Emma looked surprised that Henry knows and looks to Killian with how in her eyes. Killian then scratches behind his ears and tells her simply "Henry is a very smart lad." Then Emma has a feeling that someone is watching so she sees through the small window of the door and sees Dr. Whale there. As Henry and Killian are still holding her, she then tells them to hold on as she then poofs all of them out of the room and into the forest.

In the forest, Emma then gets a proper answer of how Henry figured it out as she hears that Henry went to him alone and asked if he's his father. She hears the story from Killian and partially like Killian said that they wanted to do it together, she felt sad and yet relieved that Henry knows the truth. Killian had even told the story about their life in the Enchanted Forest and even mentioned it to Henry on that same day. Again, she feels the same emotion but she was relieved and felt the weight of her shoulders drop as Henry knows everything. However, after she asked for what happening in Storybrooke, Killian told her about the giant that they've encountered at the Enchanted Forest was brought here by Cora and is working with the dwarves', Cora has been dead for a couple of days, there are strangers from the outside world and not to be trusted and how he found out this morning that they're destroying Storybrooke with a diamond that Regina had in her pocket when they have had captured her and is no longer captured as her parents saved her.

She then poofs them again back to the apartment where she took a quick shower and changed into new clothes. When ready they all left the apartment and went to the mines discreetly. When they arrived there, Emma gets there first and was seen her parents first, they gave her an unexpected hug but Emma for the first time welcomes it and she says "Mom..." with tears in her eyes, before adding, "Dad." Then she sees Regina who is sending her lightning-like magic into the brightly glowing black diamond and begins shaking, seeming weak, saying "I can't contain this much longer." She then asks if she needs help. When Regina first hears Emma's voice she looked to her surprise, relieved that she's finally awake before nodding, that she does need help to destroy the diamond, so Emma casually uses her magic on the diamond along with Regina destroying it.

Henry watches his mothers as they do the right thing destroying the diamond together. He was happy that there's a chance that his mother will come to an understanding and with his father next to him, they watch together seeing the scene befalling to them. As Emma and Regina's power combines, the diamond begins to rapidly vibrate, and before long, a large burst of energy is released from the device which sends Emma and Regina flying in opposite directions. The diamond itself lands on the rock beneath it, still glowing a little, but its power soon short circuits, and it dies down.

And with that, we are shown images from across town of the sign outside Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer as the leaves vanish from it, and soon enough, Mr. Gold steps out of his shop to see the vines and leaves and other forestry retracting from places and buildings as the diamond's effects are reversed and Storybrooke is safe once more.

While Killian watches at the scene he suddenly hears something else that's coming to their way. As Henry then hears it too, he stays next to his dad and suddenly his dad was fighting them as they have come out of nowhere, he then moves and suddenly there was somebody else there and as he tries to get out of his own, he struggles and was out of the mines fast then the person who was fighting with Killian stops fighting and runs out of the mines.

We again see the dead self-destruct device settled on a rock in the mines as David and Mary Margaret awake and stand up, having to been hit by the energy blast, and Regina does the same. "We're alive!" Charming exclaims as he clutches his wife, and the two of them run over to an awakening Emma to help the blonde to her feet. They make sure she is okay as Regina picks up the black diamond, and Emma comments that they did it, and Regina confirms that yes, they did. David says that he's got to hand it to Henry as the kid's right about a lot of things.

"Isn't that right, kid?" she asks, turning around, but soon sees that there's no Henry to reply. She then looks at Killian and says, "Killian where's Henry?" she asks then asks again now knowing how her husband looked like and asked again "What the hell happened? Killian…" she said his name softer knowing something went wrong as she watches him take a breath and answers her.

"He's gone. Henry's gone. I heard someone coming in and fought the first person I saw then someone else comes in tries to take him, Henry was struggling to get out however the person was stronger and got him. It was so fast."

She calls out for him as she wanders around the corner of the mine tunnel, the Charmings were surprised to see Hook once again while Regina instantly knew what has happened, she did felt the power of the true love between them and soon Regina begins to follow. Soon, the five of them are running through the mines, a torch in Emma's hand, as she continues to call out for her son. The blonde sees something on the track and Mary Margaret asks her what it is. Emma picks up the bag from the floor and states, "They took him..." like Killian has said, seeing the bag as evidence.

On the surface, Henry is in the clutches of Greg, the kid's hands being tied, as Tamara tells him to relax, assuring him that they're not going to hurt him. "Just everyone I love," he adds, "You tried to blow up Storybrooke!" He attempts to struggle out of Greg's grip as they walk him across the docks, but it's futile, and Tamara tells the kid that that was never the point. Henry seems confused, and Greg explains that they came to town to destroy magic, but then they found something more important that changed everything - he stops walking and looks at the kid - "You," he states, and the kid appears even more confused as they begin to drag him further along with them.

Greg and Tamara continue to hastily march Henry to the docks where around a corner we see Emma, Killian, Regina, David and Mary Margaret emerge as the latter tells the former that she doesn't even know where she's going. As the four of them run, Emma says that it doesn't matter as she's finding Henry and will track Greg and Tamara down in hell if she must. They soon run around another corner and stop when they see Greg and Tamara standing with Henry, and Greg throws a magic bean into the sea. "The last bean... They've opened a portal..." Regina says as a portal opens in the ocean next to the docks. Emma, Killian, David, Regina and Mary Margaret run towards them and the blonde exclaims Henry's name. Greg and Tamara see them coming and so quickly jump, with Henry, off the edge of the docks and into the small portal in the sea, going through it and causing it to close. Emma and the rest catch up as this happens and the devastating blonde exclaims that they must follow them and that there must be another way. Regina points out that not only do they not know where they went. However, Emma, who's being restrained by David, states that she doesn't care but Regina argues that without it, there's no way to follow them. "There has to be..." Emma says, "We can't let them just take Henry!"

" Welcome back Miss Swan. Do you know that when you've woken up by your pirate, the power was more powerful than your parents?" Gold says when he first spotted Emma as he was strolling the docks with his beloved, Belle. As he says that Regina, Mary Margaret, and David were surprised that the true love that they've felt on the way toward the mines was stronger, felt like for that moment in time everything was bliss and content. They didn't know where it came from although the trio inspected that Emma could have woken up. Their answer came out when they saw Emma down in the mines. It was a miracle for the Charmings. It was also with a shock that it was the pirate, Captain Hook who woke their daughter even more so as it was True Love's Kiss and that the Captain loves their daughter.

Then Mr. Gold said after he heard Emma Swan or was it Jones, now that he thought about it, things were about to get interesting however he can't help to think about what Emma said and was curious to know as he says "They've taken Henry?" David confirms it, saying that Gold's the Dark One and requests that he do something. Emma begs him to help them, but Gold tells them that there's no way, reminding them that he spent a lifetime trying to cross worlds to find his son and that there's no way in this world without a portal. Regina asks if that's it, that Henry's gone forever, and Gold remains silent, but Regina states that she refuses to believe that.

Then there was running footsteps coming towards them and to their surprise, it was Ruby, who was panting. She took long hard breaths as she finally stops running to find her best friend and tell them about their daughter who is now awake. However, as she looks to where she is along with who was there. It seemed she didn't have to tell them as Emma was already with them. "Ruby, what are you doing here?" Mary Margaret asked.

"I was going to tell you that Emma's awake but it seems you know that," Ruby says to Mary Margaret then she glances at Emma and speaks to her. "I was there at the hospital with Dr. Whale when you have seemed to be woken up. I was talking to him and he said he was going to check you up however when we got there, Henry made a scene and we were all figuring out what Henry was going off about. All of us were so confused, then we felt it, the power of true love's kiss and we tried getting into the room, however, Henry was faster than us and when he got in the room, he locked the door. So, Whale looked through the door and saw you with Captain Hook. We were in shock seeing you two together then he saw you poofing yourself along with Henry and the Captain out of the room, and I think we were even more surprised that he said that you have magic. The next thing I know I was running trying to find my best friend and now here I am. What is going on, where's Henry?"

"Greg and Tamara took Henry," Emma said sadly. "We don't know where they are or how we can get to him. There aren't no beans or portals to make because this is the land of no freaking magic."

"Regina," David says, "you have a bean in your office, can we use it?" he asked.

"How do you know about that?" Regina shouted.

"Henry wanted to hang out with you, and we waited for you to open the door however you didn't come so I went inside and found out you weren't there when I searched the whole house. I saw the bean that you kept."

"Yeah, we can use it," Regina said. "But we still don't know where Henry is?"

"I'll take care of that," Mr. Gold says then adds, "besides I will help to find my grandson."

"What!" Emma bellowed. "Who told you that?" she shouted again towards Mr. Gold.

" My son, of course, Miss Swan." Mr. Gold coolly said.

Emma then looks toward her parents and Regina trying so hard to glare them with her eyes practically screaming out, how you can let this happen. Regina then poofs herself away quickly as she got the bean and poofed back at the docks. Killian then suggested that they can use his ship, so after saying goodbye to Ruby and Belle from their beloved ones, they went on the Jolly Roger. Rumple waves his hand, and in a puff of purple smoke, the magic, the white globe was given to him by Cora appears on top of a wooden barrel.

However, before using it, Emma and Killian go next to the dark one first. "Gold," Emma starts, " what is this supposed to do?" she asked. Then Gold says by pricking your finger, it will bleed showing where your loved ones are, it will show the location on the globe."

"Are you sure it's going to work on you if you try Mr. Gold?" Emma asked.

"You seem to be certain that it won't work on me. Why is that Miss Swan?"

"I haven't told Neal if he is Henry's father and I don't know why Neal thinks of that, but you know about our secrets and couldn't have been Neal's. Also, as you know we have two missing children of ours and are wondering what would happen how it works when you have more than one kids."

"If they're at different locations, the globe will show two different locations. However, if they're at the same location, then their color will stand out."

"What color?" she asked.

" Their eye color or their aura color of magic will represent them."

The Charmings and Regina watch as the three softly talks with the dark one curiously. After their brief talk, Emma then expectantly pricks her finger on the tip of the globe's axis and presses his blood to the white surface. Soon, her blood spreads like a cloud through the globe and a red map appears upon it along with the colors in the same location. Regina, Mary Margaret, and David were curious as they stared at the globe not knowing what the colors were representing. As Emma and Killian look at it, they knew that wherever Henry is at is also where their daughter Felicity is at. It was a relief for them but also Hook and Rumpelstiltskin stared at the location, knowing where they've to go. Regina looks at it and asks where it is, where they took Henry, and Emma and the other Charmings wait for Hook to tell them, "Neverland..."

Emma recognizes the name immediately and as much as she wants to hug her husband and show sympathy, she knows she can't. When she got the shock of her life when Killian came back home early wearing new clothes with a new status, her being shocked was an underestimate of the century. Shen then learned that her brother in law Liam Jones was dead from a poison called Dreamshade that was supposed to be an ailment that their king said. Killian then throws the bean into the waters and asked Emma who was next to him to come with him to the helm of the ship. As he arrives there, he allowed Emma to go in front of him so that he can hold her when the go through the portal in the waters. As they head in close to the portal, he bellows out warning everyone to hold on to something as they all go through the portal.

The Jolly Roger is seen soaring across the water, and soon enough, it sails on the rim of the portal before being carried down the thing by a large wave and falling through it. Another final wave crashes and a small burst of magic spreads across the now completely still and calm ocean. The portal is now gone, as are our heroes, and it's off to Neverland.

The girl with blue-green eyes then feels something inside of her, deep down within herself where she can feel her magic igniting. She looks down at the locket hanging around her neck, touches it and in a whisper voice, she knows somehow that her family is here in Neverland. A hope, a faith that she dreamt for so long to that burned out so long-ago reigns back into her again are suddenly renewed with vigor. She says, "Mama, Papa". She closes her eyes out, takes a breath. However, no matter what happens when her parents are on land, she remembers what her papa said many years ago.

Papa said that no matter what happens to us, always look toward the horizon. Every day is a new adventure. Look toward the horizon and suddenly you know everything is going to be all right. If you are ever lost, look toward the sky and find your way with the stars. If you lost with who you are and you have fallen towards your knees when you've lost everything. Being a Jones is being a fighter and a survivor, always remember that. We are tough and strong, and you should always remember that. No matter what happens to you, you always look toward the horizon.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: These Tortuous Waters**

A magic portal comes to life as the three occupants who were traveling through the portal have all landed into the waters, where a sandy beach is seen. Henry falls on the sand, looking wet, with his hands tied by a cable tie. He looks back and then tries to get up and make a run for it, but Greg grabs a hold of him and tells him to slow down, and that he has nowhere to go. He lets go off Henry again, and we see that he and Tamara are also wet, having just come out of the watery vortex. Greg removes his backpack and Tamara, amused, says, "We made it. Mission accomplished." Henry responds with, "Are you sure about that? Cause my moms' coming to get me." Greg tells him that he might wanna look around, and Tamara does just this herself. Greg asks the young man if he sees any clock towers, and then says that he is a long way from home. Henry retorts that it doesn't matter because his family has been to the Enchanted Forest before and they can get there again. They are interrupted by strange sounds coming from the woods that surround the beach, and Tamara explains to Henry that they are not in the Enchanted Forest, but rather in Neverland. Henry quickly jumps to the conclusion that they are there to destroy Neverland, and Tamara confirms this, by saying that Neverland is the mother lode of magic and that they have hit the jackpot. She then tells her lover that she needs to signal the Home Office, and Greg hands her a device from his backpack. Henry, confused about the Home Office being set in the jungle, asks them who works there. Greg puts his backpack on again and tells the kid that it's not of his concern to know who they work for. "Just know that they take care of us," Henry asks if they do and whether they have told the pair how to get back home after they destroy magic. It wasn't shortly later that to greet their home office has had been made into a ploy as the object to detect wasn't shown to be working. Then the noises kept on coming closer and closer when it has been decided that the adults that running is the best option as they along with Henry heads toward the forest.

As the Jolly Roger, heads towards the island of Neverland, a close-up shot of the ship's steering wheel spinning is seen. It is stopped when Killian Jones rests one of its handles on his hook, and Regina, who had been looking overboard at the waters, turns her attention to him and asks why he's slowing down the ship, reminding him that her son's life is in danger. "Oh, I know, my hot-headed Queen," he tells her, then explaining that he plans to bring them to the far side of the island, link up with the widest part of the river, sail quietly through and take the inhabitants by surprise. Hook then comments on the irony, and she asks him what he means, to which he replies that he's spent more time than he cares to remember trying to leave that place so that he could kill Rumpelstiltskin, and now there he is, sailing right back into its heart with Rumple as his guest of honor. "It's not quite what I was hoping for," he says. Regina then recounts that Greg Mendell told her something funny: that she's a villain, and villains don't get happy endings. Regina asks the captain if he believes that.

Killian Jones gives a thought to what Regina is saying however it doesn't matter anymore, whether she knows it or not about who he is. He wasn't quite the same person the last time he was with Regina which was back in the Enchanted Forest working for her before he met Cora for a better deal. Before Storybrooke that is, and they exactly hadn't come into terms with what he'd done. "It doesn't matter really." He says looking over the ocean into the horizon knowing his children are on that island.

"I didn't expect that answer, Hook," Regina says almost snarly. "It sounds like you don't care about your ending because you've already found it." Regina then says only quietly, knowing with keeping her voice low nobody would hear with what she is saying, besides it's Hook she wanted him to hear of what she says. As she said this, she knows she had struck the man already and so she proceeds. "You've found it with Ms. Swan." She then pauses for a moment, only for a minute.

"What do you know?" Killian Jones asks, almost worried.

"Everything."

"Which means exactly what your majesty?" he coldly asks bringing the pirate Captain Hook into play. His protective side almost showing, almost.

"I know that you are married to her, had a life with her once upon a time in the Enchanted Forest. You two have a daughter named Felicity and that you hate the Dark One because he changed your life." She says first, getting through the facts out of hand before telling her thoughts out loud. "Though I am curious to know who my son's father is." She casually said. "Are you Henry's father?"

" I am." Killian Jones confidently says.

"At least I know now that when Henry visited with you, he was in good hands," Regina said with relief in her voice knowing that her son was fine. She was mad when she heard from Mary Margaret about Henry visiting Captain Hook alone.

"To what should I call you by?"

"Regina will suffice. "She said ready to leave the Captain alone.

However, he had things on his mind. "Regina thanks for taking care of Henry when Emma and I can't. And to answer your question, it's possible to have a happy ending. When I met Emma, I was young that I wasn't a pirate captain yet and when I did become one, she was always beside my side. It's good to have someone by your side Regina, it doesn't hurt to at least try."

Regina was very shocked in the least with what he said. Although she wasn't expected with what the Captain Guyliner said, she wasn't expected that Captain Guyliner could give her advice nonetheless as thanking her for taking care of his son. She then left the Captain by himself, as she contemplated the words he said were now in her head.

Below them, on the waist of the deck, Emma is staring blankly into the distance, looking pensive. Her parents approach her with concern, and Mary Margaret tells her "Hey", but gets no reply. Emma turns to her and says, "I blame you. All this happened because I listened to you. Do you say good always wins? It doesn't. I didn't grow up in some fairytale land. My experience is different. That's all I can go on." Mary Margaret rebuts that all they have to go on is their experience, and she just wants to share their wisdom with her, but Emma, interrupting her, says that she appreciates them trying to be parents, but they are the same age and have equal amounts of wisdom. And all Emma wants is Henry back. She starts to say that she should have never broken the curse, she should have just taken Henry, and Mary Margaret tells her that she's right, then they would be together. She then tells her child, however, that they missed her growing up, and it haunts them every day. David finally jumps in, saying that that's why they are there now, because they don't want her to have to go through the same thing too, and she won't, he reassures her, because they are going to get their family back. Emma, aggravated, turns to him and asks how they can be so infuriatingly optimistic. Mary Margaret doesn't know how to reply, and David tells his daughter that that's who they are. Emma asks why, because ever since they got their memories back and remembered that they are Snow White and Prince Charming, their lives have sucked. David denies this because they found her, and Emma points out that they lost Henry and countless other people. Mary Margaret, calmly, tells her daughter, "Emma, the minute I let go of the belief that things will get better is the minute I know they won't." David grabs her shoulder, and she tells Emma that they will find Henry.

"No, you won't," they are told by a voice coming from behind them, piquing everyone's interest when the Dark One looks towards everyone on the ship. They turn their attention to the quarter-deck, where Mr. Gold has emerged, wearing a different outfit. Hook sarcastically comments that a wardrobe change is a great use of their time. Emma grabs a lantern to get a better look, and Gold says that he is going to get Henry. Regina tells him that they agreed to do this together, and Gold points out that they never made such an agreement. Emma asks why he's doing this, and Gold immediately responds that he wants to succeed. She wonders what makes him think she's going to fail, and he promptly replies that she couldn't possibly win, because she doesn't believe in her parents although she does believe in herself and her magic, it's still not enough. "With what I've been through I can believe," Emma says, and Gold points out even though she does believe he wonders if she ever took a leap of faith, the kind with absolutely no proof. Emma doesn't reply. Gold tells her that he's known her some time, and even with everything she's been through, she's still just a bail bonds person, looking for evidence. "Well dearie that's not gonna work in Neverland," he says. Emma tells him she'll do whatever it takes, and Gold says that she just needs someone to tell her what she needs to do, but their foe is too fearsome for the two of them to hold hands. "Neverland is a place where imagination runs wild. And sadly... yours doesn't." This said, he starts spinning his walking stick on the floor of the deck, and when it finally hits the boards, they all can see that he is no longer on the ship. The gang exchange looks, slightly intimidated.

In the woods of the island, Greg is seen lighting a fire in an impromptu fireplace he made of rocks and sticks. He lights it up with matches, while Tamara looks impatient. Henry asks them if they are making s' mores, and Greg, also looking impatient, denies this, and tells Henry that he is building a signal. He tells Tamara to help him gather some dry leaves, for they need to let the Home Office know that they're there, but his partner asks what about if that's not enough, and what if the empty communicator wasn't an accident. Greg tells her not to let the kid get in her head, and their attention is then caught by the sounds of footsteps approaching them. They turn to see Felix and the other Lost Boys coming out from the wilderness. Greg asks them who they are, and Felix, in a mocking tone, tells them that they're the Home Office, and welcomes them to Neverland. Greg looks back at his lover, who says, "The Home Office... is a bunch of teenagers?" Henry tells his captors that they are not teenagers, but rather the Lost Boys. Felix says, "Look at that...", interested in Henry. Henry asks them why they would want to destroy magic, and Felix says, "Who said we wanna destroy magic?" Greg walks up closer to him and says that that was their mission, to which the leader of the group responds that he was only told so. Felix then tells them to hand the boy over, but Tamara positions herself in front of Henry and says they won't be getting the boy until they tell them what the plan is for magic, for getting home. Felix sneers and makes it clear to them that they are not getting home. Greg affirms that they are not getting the boy then. Felix looks down, smirking, and then looks back at him and says, "Of course we are." Greg looks somewhat intimidated, and then his attention is caught by a strange sound coming from above. He looks up and witnesses the shadow descending upon him. The shadow swoops in and rips Greg's own shadow from his body, and he screams in agony. The fire in the fireplace burns brighter, and Tamara is shocked. Greg's body falls to the ground, and Tamara turns to Henry and shouts at him to run. He does so, and Felix tells his mates to get the boy. Henry manages to outrun them, going into the woods, and as Tamara tries to run for her life as well, one of the Lost Boys hits her with an arrow and she goes down as well. Felix looks around, and the gang then leaves to go and look for Henry, leaving in their trail the bodies of the young man's original captors.

The Lost Boys are seen chasing after Henry through the woods of the island, but the young man manages to elude them, whilst running with his hands still tied. Eventually, he accidentally trips and falls to the ground, and when he does a hand reaches out to grab him and pulls him into the bushes. The Lost Boys make it by them without noticing the two boys in on the other side of the plants, and the boy who rescued Henry removes the hood from around his head. Henry thanks him, and the boy tells him that Pan and his troupe are in tune with every grain of sand on the island, so they must be careful. Henry asks him if he's a Lost Boy, and the boy, whilst cutting off the cable tie around Henry's hands, explains that he was, but he escaped, and now they're after him too. Henry asks what happened, and the boy tells him that there is no time for questions, they must keep moving. This said, he urges Henry to come with him.

Inside the hold of the Jolly Roger, Emma is seen doing pull-ups by grabbing onto a horizontal pole around which some rope is tied. She rests for a while, resting her feet on the bench below her. Killian comes from behind her, asking her "what you are doing, love?".

Emma looks at him and says "you should know by now Killian that it's good to prepare myself for what I'm getting into. Especially to a place that I've never been to before."

"True." He says as he walks towards a cabinet that's full of weaponry. He takes a weapon out and shows it to Emma. As Emma looked at it she remembers the weapon as it is hers, with her initials on the top of the weapon which was a dagger and a set that matches it with a sword, a scabbard as he takes it giving it back to who it truly belongs to with a smile as he then sees Emma putting the belt on and putting the familiar weight of weapons onto herself. He looks at her, well really staring at his wife, as she finished putting the weapons on. Looking at her again like this he automatically says, "I never thought I'll see you dressed like this again. You're looking bloody stunning love."

Emma blushes as he complimented her. She then pulls herself towards him engaging a kiss. The kiss was full of passion and only lasted for a couple of seconds. As Killian senses about what's going to go on next, he hands her a small sipping cup and uses his teeth to pull out the cork from a liquor bottle, pouring a drink for them both afterward. "So, what are we going to do now?" Emma asked.

"When we land, we will find our children, Felicity and Henry." Killian says as he makes a pause before continuing, "are we going to tell your parents about us?" He then asked getting straight to the point, unsure of exactly when they're going to tell them.

"I don't know," Emma says not knowing what to do as she pauses thinking out loud her thoughts to her husband. "Truthfully Killian, my mind is set on finding Felicity and Henry. I don't even know if any time will be the right time. They haven't asked about you yet when Mary Margaret was talking to me earlier. That reminds me what was Regina harboring about when she was talking to you while I was talking to Mary Margaret."

"She knows everything about us, love. She knows that we're married, had a life together in the past, including Felicity and knowing that I'm Henry's father. Other then, that she asked if it was possible if she can get a happy ending and gave her advice. It seems that we have an understanding."

"That's good to know, is there anything else I should know about?" Emma asked.

"You should know love, that I've thanked her for taking care of our lad, Henry when we couldn't." She nodded her head then he talked a little bit more of Neverland as he has been there before and gives his wife some advice as well, telling her more information about the the island as he knows more now than in the past before he was made into Captain Hook.

As they've talked, the ship suddenly rocked leaving them startled as to what's going on with the ship. They then went up and rushed upstairs with Emma behind him. David and Mary Margaret are shown to be struggling with the steering wheel of the ship as they sail through stormy waters, whilst being attacked by something. Regina asks them what they are doing and is told that they are trying to keep it steady. Killian joins them and tells them to prepare for an attack. Regina tells him to be more specific, and he tells her that if she's got a weapon, she should grab it. Emma comes up from out of the hatch and closes it, and asks what is down there in the waters: "A shark? A whale?" David joins in and asks, "A Kraken?" Hook tells them, "Worse", and the rest of the gang look overboard and are surprised to witness pretty women looking at them from below the surface, and swimming around with colored fishtails attached to their torsos. Hook finishes his line, saying "Mermaids!" The school of mermaids is then seen swimming towards the ship and flapping their fins above the surface, as they screech.

"Mermaids! You got to be kidding me!" Emma screams as she looks at the half-fish, half-women creatures attacking the Jolly Roger from below. The sirens' tails glisten in the sea as they swim around and towards the ship, and the storm grows denser. Hook tells his new crew that mermaids are quite unpleasant, to which Regina replies, "You think?" The mermaids hit the ship with their fins, and Emma wonders how many of them there are. David, bemused, says that he will not be capsized by fish, and heads towards the cannon. He loads it up with gunpowder and chains, and Mary Margaret calls for her daughter's help with the fishing net, while Hook tries to maintain control of the steering wheel. David lights up the cannon's fuse and aims it at the school of mermaids. The cannon blasts and hits one of them, who shrieks in pain, and Snow and Emma throw the net overboard. David loads up the cannon again and fires another blast into the sea. A mermaid is then caught in the fishing net. Mary Margaret says they caught one, and Regina, unimpressed, says "One? There are dozens of them." Emma and Mary Margaret pull the net up, David fires another blast, and Regina, having had enough, conjures up a fireball in her hand and throws it at the sea. The fire hits the waters and spreads, and she hurls the second ball of fire afterward, and a third one soon follows, effectively scaring the mermaids away. Their glistening tails are seen distancing themselves from the ship, and Regina says, "There. They're gone." Snow points out that not all of them are gone, reminding her of the mermaid they caught and are trying to bring on board. With a tiny hand gesture, Regina magically brings the net and its captive mermaid onto the deck. The mermaid starts flapping about like a fish out of water, looking frightened.

As the Jolly Roger continues to sail through these traitorous waters of Neverland, the mermaid stills find herself on the deck of the ship, against her will, lying on the net that imprisoned her. Hook, at the wheel, commands that they get the mermaid off his ship, but Regina rejects this because now they have a hostage. David points out that - despite hating it - he's with Hook, for those things just tried to kill them. Regina says that they should perhaps find out why, and Mary Margaret asks, "How, by torturing her?" Regina says maybe, if it is necessary, and the mermaid reaches for a conch shell that was brought in with her and blows on it, causing a deafening sound. The crew covers their eyes, and Emma then asks the mermaid what that was, to which she replies that it was a warning - either they let her go, or they die.

David picks up the shell and asks the mermaid what it is, and what she's done. The mermaid looks at him seductively and begs him to let her go, and Regina tells her they won't until she tells them, or they will make her tell them. Mary Margaret says that threatening the mermaid isn't the way to motivate her, and Regina snidely says that she's all out of fish food. Hook brings up that it doesn't matter if they get her to talk because they can't trust her, mermaids are liars. Emma says, "Of course they are." Snow says that maybe the mermaids are just scared of Pan, and if they let her go the school will be on their side. Regina counter-argues that maybe the mermaid and her friends will just come right back to kill them. The mermaid says that she doesn't need her friends to kill them, they'll kill themselves. Emma is confused. She orders them to let her go, and lightning rips through the sky as the storm surrounding them gets stronger. They are all startled, and Hook says that she called the storm, and tells them not to let her go because she'll swim off and leave them all to die, and at least with her they've got leverage. David picks up a sword and points it at her neck, ordering her to call off the storm, and then they'll let her go. The mermaid, not the least bit intimidated, gives him a provocative look. Annoyed, Charming moves behind her and wrings her neck. Regina, amused, tells him to filet the bitch.

The mermaid starts choking, but David looks at his wife and daughter, who are horrified by his behavior, and lets her go, commenting that they're not barbarians. The stormy waters and winds continue to rattle the ship, and Regina comments that what they are going to be is dead. Hook reassures them that he can turn it around, for he's outrun many storms, but Regina tells the mermaid that either she makes it stop or she dies. Mary Margaret says, with conviction, that they are not killers, but the mermaid herself rejects this, saying that they are and that they brought this death upon themselves. Snow says that therefore they should free her, and Regina retorts that that feel-good nonsense might work in the Enchanted Forest, but this is Neverland. The ship is rattled again as the storm grows more intense, and David shouts at Hook to keep his grip. He says it wasn't him, but rather the ship. Hook leaves the steering wheel to check the deck and says that the ship is taking in water. Regina asks if she may resume killing the mermaid now, to be given a "No!" by both Charmings. Snow tells her that if she kills the mermaid, her kind will have a personal vendetta against them. Hook tells them that the Queen is right, they've already tried to kill them anyway. Emma shouts at them all to stop because they need to think this through. Regina, bemused, looks at the titillated mermaid and says that she already has. This said, she waves her hand and magically transforms the mermaid into a wooden statue of herself. Regina says that that should stop the storm, but quite the opposite happens. Emma says, "Regina!... What did you do?!", as they all look up to witness a giant wave coming their way. They all hang on for their dear safety as the waters fall upon them.

Emma and Hook try to control the steering wheel of the ship as the storm continues to befall them, stronger than ever. Emma reminds Hook that he said he could outrun a storm, to which he replies that this isn't a storm, but "bloody damnation". "Regardless of what's going on love, this is bringing up good memories," Killian said. Then Emma looks at him for only a second as she's still helping him to control the steering wheel. "Not the time for flashbacks, Killian!" Then the waters keep on falling out proving out Emma's point.

Mary Margaret turns to Regina and asks her why she did this, and the Mayor is outraged that Snow is blaming her. Snow reminds her that she turned the mermaid into the wood, and Regina brushes this off by saying that she at least did something, which is more than Snow can say for herself. The princess orders her to undo the spell and bring back the mermaid, and Regina sarcastically asks her if she plans on winning the siren over with her "rainbow kisses and unicorn stickers". Mary Margaret points out that, since the witch's plan failed, at least they can try. Regina calls her a naive princess, and Snow tries to come up with a comeback response, but instead, she just punches Regina in the face, sending her to the deck. As she does so, the storm hits a peak. Regina recuperates quickly and asks her long-time nemesis if that is her best, to which Snow says it's not even close. A strike of lightning hits the ropes of the mast. Snow says she is tired of Regina ruining her life. "I ruined your life?!" Regina says, angrily, and David tries to make a run for them, but Regina punches his wife in the face as retaliation and another ray of lightning comes close to the ship. David is stopped on his track by Hook, who grabs him and tells him to let them go for he needs him at the mast. David, annoyed, tells Hook not to let his wife go as she is fighting with Regina which his wife needs help, then pointedly adds in due from his anger to not go after Emma and elbows him in the gut, before turning around and punching him in the face, leaving Emma as the sole controller of the wheel. She orders them to stop, but the crew, paired up, continue fighting, as the storm grows more and more intense. Lightning splits the cloudy skies and Emma is horrified by it all. As David almost slices the pirate's throat with his hook, Emma realizes that the mermaid isn't causing this, but rather themselves. She tries to get them to listen to her as she says that if they don't stop fighting, they're all going to die because they're causing the storm. She leaves the steering wheel and heads for the border of the ship, holding on to the ropes, and calling out for their attention, to no avail, as the disputing pairs keep fighting. Frustrated, Emma does the only thing she can think of: she turns around - and her husband finally notices her - and then she dives into the waters.

"Emma!" shouted Killian then after that the rest of the crew rush to the border of the ship to try and locate her in the sea. Another wave of shouts came from the Charmings as they figured out as well that Emma is no longer on the ship and has fallen into the waters intentionally. A sheave is dislodged from the ropes of the ship and falls to the sea as well, hitting Emma in the head and knocking her unconscious.

Emma is seen submerged in the waters, unconscious, and Regina, back on the ship, calls her an idiot. Mary Margaret begs Regina to bring her back onto the boat, but the Mayor claims that she can't do so in this storm, she can't see Emma, so she'd just end up bringing a lot of water in and half her leg. David gets ready to jump overboard and Hook tells him to wait; David tells his daughter will drown, and the pirate responds that so will he, and offers help. He grabs some rope and hands it to Snow, telling her to tie up her husband. With the rope around his waist, David dives into the ocean, while the rest of the crew members hold on to the rope. He swims around looking for his daughter and is eventually able to locate and grab her. With Emma in tow, he swims back up to the surface, and Hook tells the ladies to pull. The pirate then hooks the rope to a sheave and pulls them up. David can grab on to the border and soon enough both are back on deck. Emma is laid down on the floor by her parents, and everyone looks upon her with concern. Mary Margaret looks a bit hopeless for a short while as her daughter feels so cold to her touch, but Emma quickly regains consciousness and spits out seawater. Hook is relieved and Emma's parents are delighted. The blonde then looks up to the sky and notices the clouds disappearing, giving place to the full moon.

The Jolly Roger crew makes it to the same sandy beach where Henry arrived earlier with his captors, having gotten there in a rowboat apparently, and Regina tells her companions that they don't have to do things this way because her magic is powerful enough so that she may fix the ship and that they may execute Hook's plans. Emma tells her not to be naive and to save her magic because Pan already knows they're there. She says Gold was right, that land runs on belief and they were all too busy being at each other's throats to be believers, and she confesses she was as wrong as everyone else, and it's time for all of them to believe, not in magic, but each other. Regina asks if she wants them all to be friends, after everything that's happened between them, and Emma says she doesn't want or expect that, for she knows there is a lot of history and a lot of hate there. Hook jumps in and says that he quite fancies Emma from time to time when she's not yelling at him. Emma rolled her eyes at him as if she was teasing back at him with a hint of a thin smile, saying that they don't need to be friends, what they need to know is the only way to get Henry back is through cooperation. "With her? With him?" David says, bemused, before telling Emma that they must do this the right way. His daughter says that they don't, they just need to succeed, and the way they do that is by just being who they are, be it a hero, a villain, a pirate, and it doesn't matter which because they are going to need all those skills, whether they can stomach them or not. Regina then asks Emma what her skill is, addressing her as "savior". Emma turns to her and says, "I'm a mother. And now I'm also your leader. So, either help me get my son back or get out of the way." Emma turns around and starts walking away, and her parents follow her, proudly. Hook, amused, follows them as well, and so does Regina, who doesn't look as pleased. As they make their way into the woods surrounding the beach, they fail to notice the two creatures flying above them, in the nightly sky, surrounded by a magical green light.

When Rumpelstiltskin left, he appeared in a clearing in the woods of the island, and sits down on a rock, before saying, "Come out and say hello, dearie." This said, Felix, the spokesperson of the Lost Boys, makes himself appear and obliges, saying, "Hello, Rumpelstiltskin." The Dark One makes a sarcastic gesture, and Felix, stepping closer to him, lets him know that Pan welcomes him to the island, and wanted Felix to tell him he's excited to see Rumple again. Rumple, also sarcastically, says that he's sure Pan is. Felix then adds that Pan wanted Rumple to know he's welcome in Neverland, for as long as he wishes to stay... with one caveat. Rumple points out that there's always something with him. Felix explains that if he is there for the boy, then that makes him Pan's enemy. Rumple claims that nothing's changed then. Felix warns him that if he goes against Pan, he will not survive. Rumple, slightly amused, says that the question isn't whether he'll survive, but rather, and this he claims as he gets up from the rock and walks over to Felix, grabbing him, how many of them he takes with him. Felix, not intimidated, asks the Dark One if that's his answer, and the latter confirms it. Felix then says that means he'll see Rumple again, in less friendly circumstances. Rumple tells him to count on it and lets him go, before walking past him. Felix, however, tells him there is one last thing. Rumple looks relatively annoyed. Felix points out that Pan wanted him to have something and throws a straw doll at the ground by Gold's feet. The beats look caught off-guard. He crouches down and picks up the doll and admires it with sadness in his eyes. Felix crouches down in front of him as well, supporting himself with his staff, and says, "Isn't it funny?", as Rumple looks at him with teary eyes, "The things we haven't thought about in years... still can make us cry." He then gets up, puts the staff back over his shoulder and says, "See you around, Dark One." He leaves, and Gold is left behind, kneeling on the ground, crying over the straw doll.

As Henry and the boy ran further away from the lost boys, they've stopped for a short break. They learned a little bit about each other of how there were in this predicament. While Henry had hope, the boy was pessimistic. Then they ran again as the hear the footfalls coming near them with the boy leading them both. As they both ran through the forest Henry trips and falls again though he recovers quickly and realizes that the destination they were heading to had to be stopped as the lost boys are closer to them, so the boy leads to them again with a new destination in mind. They kept on running until they are held back as they approached a cliff and stopped, the boy gave his vial of pixie dust to Henry reminding him it doesn't work. However, it was soon proved wrong when Henry used the pixie dust as they ran and jumped the cliff and were soon to be flying away from the lost boys as they saw them now flying.

When they landed at the Echo Caves the boy properly introduces himself as Peter Pan and then apologizes to Henry for lying to him. Henry then recounts that Pan told Greg and Tamara that magic was bad and that he'd help them destroy it, and asks why. Pan, titillated, says that he needed the duo's help, and it is much easier to get people to hate something than to believe. Henry asks why Pan brought him there, and the villain starts walking around the young man and explains that he's been seeking something important for quite some time, something more elusive than the greatest of all mysteries: the heart of the truest believer. Pan then adds that when Henry took that pixie dust and jumped off the cliff - Pan knocks on the base of a tree next to him three times -, he proved himself: he's the lucky owner of that very special heart, and now he and his heart are Pan's. Pan unsheathes his dagger, raises it to the air and calls for his Lost Boys, who all show up, coming from the woods, and gather around Henry along with their leader. Pan, entertained, then says, "Let's play!"


	20. Chapter 20: The Dangers of Neverland

**Chapter 20: The Dangers of Neverland**

Into the Neverland forest where the gang of Killian Jones and his wife Emma along with her parents and the evil queen who wants to be redeemed walk along the path of stray, not knowing of what will come from here on now, now that they're all here on the island only one knows of how the island operates. Killian Jones known as Captain Hook spent his time here on this wretched island for far too long while he was in a cursed identity known as Captain Hook the man who is a rapscallion of the seas, who is in every word with what a pirate should be. Now that he's back all he wants to do is get his children and leave the island right away. The memories here are too strong filled with darkness, it's no wonder he wants to leave right away after finding his children, you can't blame him. However, when he found out that his daughter has been here, forced to live by the Dark One he couldn't help to feel blame on himself, almost shame, as he was close to her and yet far away at the time.

David with a sword chops down leaves and plants once they entered the jungle guiding them with help from his wife and daughter as they're holding lanterns while he's cutting down a path for himself and all the others to follow. So far as they all go through the jungle all is well. As David keeps on chopping things down, he was about to chop a bush of thorns, at which Hook grabs the prince's arm and protests profusely. David, annoyed, assures the pirate that he can handle a couple of thorns, then Hook explains that the plant is Dreamshade; "It's not the thorns you need to worry about, it's the poison they inject you with." And with that, we see that the thorns are dripping with a thick, black venom. The captain goes on to explain that this plant is the source of the toxins that were used on the Dark One, that almost killed him however what he used was a more concentrated version; in its natural form, the Dreamshade poison shall ensue a death that is much slower and far more painful. Hook suggests that they go in the direction right of the plant, but David, not like to take orders from a pirate, states firmly that they'll be going in the opposite direction, before leading the way himself.

The group started to walk away except for Killian and Emma. It was a somber occasion to them, seeing the Dreamshade for the first time for Emma, she couldn't help being next to Killian, comforting him as she sees the plant that took Liam's life. She doesn't know Liam much other than he was a good arm when she was on the Jewel of the Realm, memories of little time spent with him, it was indeed a somber occasion. As only a few memories come ahead. She only eyed the poisonous plant with glaring eyes knowing that this plant has stolen a man, not from Killian but her brother in law that she wanted to learn more about was over, a couple of months wasn't enough and it was stolen time that they lived on with Liam. This plant changed everything for their family, becoming their lives difficult in the time that they lived, oh how they hated this plant. Neither talked and silence ensued as they looked at the plant until it came that they must leave and get back to their truth. When they did you can tell by their appearance, they've cried a little and as they looked at each other, they hid the tears and walked away.

Shortly after the gang are at the destination that Hook told him, they all found themselves overlooking Neverland, Killian took his telescope out and found out that it's grown somewhat the last time he was here. "So, this nature hike was for nothing..." Regina unhappily declares. David chimes in, saying that while Hook may have led them astray, they're in a good position to start combing the jungle. Hook then explains to the prince that a dark jungle is the last place they'll want to step foot - they'll need to go around it, and for that, they'll need their strength; he suggests that they set up camp. By the time when the camp was set up, Regina grudgingly accepted, knowing that they're going to need energy, they all then sleep.

Felicity Amelia Jones watches from afar of the events that have happened today. She noticed the ship on the ocean is the Jolly Roger and she smile that her parents are here. She saw them along with others as they landed on the island on a rowboat and realizes they were also three other people, two females and another male. She watches from afar as they started their trek. She then poofs towards the cliff seeing their direction to where destination they'll be going to. After a couple of minutes, she poofed away from the cliff as she realized that they're heading to where she's at. She goes back to her cave there eats a meager of food as she watches the stars on the sky that is shining brightly tonight. It wasn't till a while later she sleeps on hard ground with the stuff that she only has and uses her cloak as a blanket. Then not much longer she feels somebody touching her, trying to move her, she wakes up immediately puts the cloak on with alert as she sees Pan along with the oldest lost boy there, Felix as they all fight outside the cave. Two against one, she has done this before however, it was fighting with lost boys only, she had never encountered a fight with Peter Pan, _never_. So, as she fights with everything she got, she didn't expect who will win, she is worried however most of all she is curious as to why they want her. Most of the the time that has passed as living in Neverland the lost boys annoyed her constantly, never really dealing with Pan, however the times when Pan hid her she found out it was because her father was at the island with a new an identity that is a villain and on a very lucky day found the familiar ship and realized the truth as he is known as Captain Hook not remembering anything about his past, Pan told her that when she found the ship and he said he didn't want to risk her trying to break her father's curse, so he hid her away from her father and being locked away in a wooden crate. The fight ended fast, Felicity was beaten as Pan and Felix hold her wrists so tightly that she screamed it wasn't until when they reached the camp she knows where she would be placed as she screamed, shouted, yelled no. Looking at the familiar crate, they pushed her aside hard and is unconscious.

Before the gang started to lay down, everybody heard a scream. Then there was silence until they heard another shout that came from the same voice and heard the person shouted no. Unknown to Felicity Jones she didn't know that her screams, shouts, and yells were heard, it was quite a feat as her magic itself made her louder. At the camp, Emma and Killian looked only towards each other as they heard her, the familiar voice and shouts, it was no doubt that it was Felicity. They saw fear in their eyes, worried about was going on and hoping that Felicity will be okay. The screams that the gang heard seemed to be ingrained in their heads before they fell asleep. It was also a revelation as it brought reality to them, that they were mostly on a foreign land not knowing what kind of pain, of destruction was wrought upon the leader of the group, of Peter Pan was doing. This was a sign that they should tread carefully. This was a sign that Peter Pan should be feared to them, Killian told Emma about Pan describing him as a demon child and at that moment Emma and the gang knew that Captain Hook spoke of the truth.

As everyone sleeps, Emma is tossing and turning as the sounds of crying children are heard. She awakes with a start and removes her blanket, quickly taking her sword from out of its sheath and getting to her feet. It gets louder the further she moves away from the campsite, and as she moves forward, a voice is heard behind her - "You hear that too?" Frightened, Emma quickly turns around to see a young teen casually leaning against a tree. He asks if she's Emma but doesn't wait for an answer, instead of questioning why Mary Margaret, David and the others can't hear the crying. The blonde, not recognizing the boy, asks who he is, at which is nonchalantly introduces himself as Peter Pan. At this, Emma immediately runs at the boy, pinning him up against a tree with her sword at his throat. She asks where Henry and Felicity is but Pan merely happily comments that she's got "fire", which he likes, and Emma repeats the question. Pan assures her that they're still alive if that's what she's worried about, and she asks where the hell he took him and where her daughter is. The boy tells Emma that her son is a very special boy and Emma says she knows, but that that doesn't answer her question: "What do _you_ want with him?"

Pan replies that he appeared before Emma to see who he's up against and admits that he's not disappointed, the blonde asks if this is the part where he says she'll never see Henry again, but Pan answers negatively, saying that he's going to help her find him. Emma is suspicious and doesn't say anything in response, leading Pe Pan to continue by explaining he'll give her a map. Contemplating this, Emma takes a step back and allows Pan to retrieve a piece of parchment from an inside pocket which he assures her is a map that will lead her only straight to her son. Emma, who's still got her sword pointed at the boy, asks if this is some sort of trap, but Peter merely laughs, saying that he may not be the most well-behaved boy on the island, but he always keeps his promises. After he again assures her that the path to finding Henry is on the parchment, Emma lowers her sword and questions why he's giving it to her. Pan explains that it's not about finding Henry, but how she finds him; "And, Emma, you're the only one who can." After a pause, the blonde takes the map from Pan and looks at it, annoyed to see that it's blank. This leads Pan to tell her that she will only be able to read that map once she stops denying who she is, and the sound of children crying gets louder as Emma focuses her attention on the blank parchment. When she looks up again, Pan is gone, and Emma is left standing alone in the jungle, confused.

A short time later Emma still confused yet also scared stirs Killian awake before everyone else wake up to talk about this bloody map that Pan gave to her. After a short discussion about the map, they decided to play with Peter Pan's games and Emma doesn't know what she must admit so that the map can work properly. After that everyone has awoken up with surprise as Emma fills them in, that she has met Pan and gave her a bloody map. It seemed that Regina wasn't thrilled about playing Peter Pan's games as they don't have time for it, as it could be a trick and believes that using her magic would help and would speed up the process to find Henry. Then Captain Hook tells that's not a good idea as he knows how Pan and the island operates along with the very bad feeling if they all follow your ideas.

When Emma tried and tried to admit to who she is to reveal the map, the more times than Regina gets more annoyed at not finding their son. Then Regina simply grabs the damn map and uses her magic and follows the map along with everyone else following it as well. David reminds her that they decided using magic was a bad idea. For once, Hook says that he agrees with the prince, and after an awkward stare from David the pirate reminds him that he said they were getting along. The former Queen explains that it's a locator spell; "This parchment belonged to Pan and it will lead us to him." It glows brighter and brighter and soon hovers off Regina's palm, floating gently forwards. As the map slowly flies away, finding Pan, Hook comments that they will be venturing into the dark jungle after all. "You mean the place you told us never to step foot?" Emma asks, and Hook confirms that that's the one. Regina reminds Emma that she said she wanted to be the leader and that she should start leading, and the camera moves in on the blonde's face as she begins to follow the map.

The enchanted parchment continues to fly forward, leading the gang straight to Peter Pan, and as they follow it, Regina asks Emma if she's ready to thank her. Emma stays silent, not ready to admit anything if this was the right or the wrong course of action, like her husband she has an extremely bad feeling. Regina then holds up a hand, using her magic to halt the map, and tells the others to wait; "He's there. Pan. I can feel his smugness." David steps out in front of Regina and draws his sword, suggesting that they attack now whilst they still have the element of surprise on their side. He then takes the lead and walks on, followed by Regina. When Hook follows on from the mayor, Mary Margaret assures her daughter that they can do this, and Emma nods unconvinced.

David followed by Emma followed by Hook followed by Regina followed by Mary Margaret continue to walk where the map as led them, and it is the latter who points out that no one's there, suggesting that maybe Regina's spell was wrong. They continue to wander around the area, Regina holding Snow in contempt for blaming her yet again, and Charming, sword-drawn, leads them into a camp area. Emma tells them to hold on and walks down a minor slope, seeing a boy with his back to them a short distance away.

From afar the boy is wearing Henry's clothes however as the boy turned, it was revealed that it was not Henry Mills it was, however, Peter Pan. Pan, now wandering to one side, tells Emma that she broke the rules and that's not fair. "Bad form," he goes as far as to say, telling Hook that he expects better of him. Hook tells Pan that he'll get it, and Emma orders the boy to give Henry to her. Pan apologizes, saying that he can't, and asks Emma if she doesn't know: "Cheaters never win." At this, a horde of Lost Boys surrounds the Jolly Roger crew, each of them wielding maces, swords, torches, bows and arrows and other deadly weapons. As more and more Lost Boys emerge, Pan watches with the hint of a smile on his face as Emma and company prepare to fight.

As Lost Boys surround them, Charming raises his sword in preparation for battle, and Snow draws an arrow from her quiver, loading up her bow, doing the same. Regina flexes her fingers, ready to use magic in combat, and Hook tells the rest of them to watch out for the Lost Boys' arrows as they're laced with Dreamshade poison. Suddenly, the Lost Boys fire multiple arrows at the heroes, most of which either miss or get deflected by the prince's sword. The rest of them disperse, off to fight some teenagers, and David continues to deflect arrows whilst Mary Margaret fires some of her own. Charming turns to his wife, who's aiming an arrow, in the heart of all this and calls her name. He quickly rams himself into her and knocks her out of the path of a poison arrow, causing himself to get scratched by it in the process. Mary Margaret asks if he's okay and David, checking the wound and presuming that only his clothes got torn, assures her that he's good. A Lost Boy prepares to fire an arrow at Snow and Charming warns her of this, springing her to turn around and load up her bow, firing an arrow at the Lost Boy and causing his hood to be pinned to the tree behind him. A group of armed Lost Boys runs at Regina with their weapons, however, she merely raises her hand to them, and a ball of magical blue energy electrocutes and stuns them, making them fall over backward.

Meanwhile, Felix's blade is caught by Hook's hook, and Felix comments that it's been a while. Hook says that it hasn't been long enough, and Felix swipes his sword backward before the two of them clash blades once more, swashbuckling on. The Lost Boy's blade is again caught by Hook's hook and the captain decides to taunt him, asking him if he remembered what he did to Rufio and assuring him that his fate shall be worse. They battle on. Elsewhere, Emma runs up to a Lost Boy and immediately starts to hurt him with her sword at her hip however as the lost boy tumble down the hill together which leaves Emma on top of the teenager; she grabs her sword and puts it to the Lost Boy's throat. "Where's Henry?! WHERE IS HE?!" she screams in his face, but after a while of looking into his eyes, Emma steps off her enemy, seemingly disgusted with herself. Mary Margaret utters her daughter's name, having seen this, and asks if she's alright. The blonde looks up to her mother before her eyes drift down to the floored Lost Boy. Before she can respond, Pan whistles and all his followers cease the attack, running into the jungle. Pan tells Emma to remember what he told her, and as he approaches her, he again assures her that the map will show her where Henry is only when she stops denying who she is. Emma stands to face Pan with a determined look on her face and Pan merely tells her that he'll make sure to send Henry her regards. Pan and his many, many followers then retreat as the gang watches cautiously.

As the lost boys and Pan retreat, the gang goes back to their campsite Mary Margaret checks on her husband about the scratch that he has received from the poison arrow however he doesn't want her to see and she relents not seeing the scratch. For Regina, she sits solemnly as her plan was a massive failure and she knew that from now, and along with the others to trust Captain Hook and don't trust her ideas. Silently Regina is thinking about joining Rumpelstiltskin if things get more out of hand. While Emma with a map in hand talks to her husband privately.

"I've finally figured it out. Who I am, what I must say?" Emma solemnly says to Killian.

"What is it?"

"Do you hear the lost boys crying at night?" she says, and he nods catching up to what she is saying. "I can hear them too. I'm an orphan. I'm a lost girl." As she says this the map glows, however, the couple didn't notice the glow or the showings of the map that is now shown, they only concentrated on each other.

"I thought about it as well love, I was thinking that you could hear them. I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid of how you react, love." Killian said with a sad voice. She nodded in understanding and went closer to him then he hugs her with her silent tears slowly falling.

"I'm afraid of what I'm going to say to them, to David and Mary Margaret, I'm afraid of how they'll react."

"Don't dwell on it love, they'll understand. Don't think about it. They might be sad, and the truth can hurt at times, love but you must remember you are always going to be a tough lass. You're my tough lass, my love. You can do it." Emma then catches herself with a small thin smile and short chaste kiss from Killian. She is still holding the parchment turned map as she walks to the camp with Killian behind her.

When Emma and Killian arrived back to camp, map in hand, David, Mary Margaret, and Regina were surprised the parchment turned map is working properly. However, before they get started to plan, Emma looked at her parents, ready to tell them the cold hard truth.

"Mary Margaret, David I understand what you did and why you did to me when I was a newborn. For years I thought my parents had abandoned with many reasons of what they did, I was angry at them, at you. Like I said I understand what you did, I even understand it as it's the same reason when I gave Henry up, it was to give me my best chance. Even though it was for the good, I still am that same girl underneath, an orphan, a lost girl."

A tear drips on Snow White's face feeling guilt, David was sad feeling the same guilt with his wife, another tear falls upon Snow's face as this revelation is made. "You were an orphan," she says, then looks to David and says, "It's our job to change that." A few minutes later, when Snow and David were caught up with their emotion, everyone gathers to the center of their campsite and discuss their plan.

Hook, who inspects the map, says that Henry is right at the southern tip of the aisle, in the middle of the dark jungle, and Pan's camp lies due north. Emma realizes that this is where Henry is being kept, and Regina asks what they're waiting for. Hook says that the journey shan't be easy and that there will most likely be some nasty impediments along the way. David chimes in, saying that they need to prepare as they only survived their last encounter because Pan let them, and they need a new plan. Emma adds that it's time they stop playing Pan's game and he starts playing theirs, at which Regina asks, "And if I disagree?" The rest of the campers turn to her and Emma tells her to go ahead but points out that they both know their best chance is together. Regina tells the blonde that she better be right before walking away, and David and Mary Margaret walk away also. The hook folds up the map then takes a flask of rum from his pocket, taking a swig and offering it to Emma.

A little way off the campsite as the gang prepare themselves for the journey, Emma is seen picking berries from a bush for the journey ahead when a sudden voice from behind tells her not to pick the blue ones. She turns around in shock to see Peter Pan standing there, and she continues to nonchalantly pick berries as he congratulates her on unlocking the map, calling her "orphan" as he does so. He asks her if she minds him calling her a Lost Girl, and Emma tells him to call her what he likes as it won't stop her from finding Henry. He smiles, saying that he's counting on that, before revealing that there's a reason he tested you. "Really?" Emma asks, apparently bored, and Pan stares at the blonde and says that she still hasn't forgiven her parents for abandoning her, which he finds good as it means that when she finds Henry, she'll understand him. Emma, confused, stands up and turns to face her enemy, asking him what that's supposed to mean. "He hasn't forgiven you, either," Pan tells Emma, referring to Henry, "By the time you get to him, he'll never want to leave this island," Emma says that they'll see and goes to pick up the berries she's collected. As she does so, Pan adds, "And as for you, Emma, when we're finished, you won't just feel like an orphan. You'll be one." Emma walks away and Pan watches as she tries her best to ignore this last sentence.

David wanders through some leaves and trees, wanting to get out of the sight of the other campers, especially his family. Looking back to make sure no one's watching, he quickly unzips and removes his damaged jacket, letting it drop to the jungle floor. He then looks at the tear in his shirt, where the poisoned arrow scraped it and sees that it scratched more than just his clothes: there is, in fact, a large cut to his side. As the wound starts turning from red to black, the black beginning to spread through the veins around the wound, David groans in pain and worry, knowing that he's been poisoned with Dreamshade and doesn't have long left to live.

The group gather towards the map, disappointed that their trip has been for nothing so far. An angry Regina tells the group that walking is idiotic, stating they should use magic to materialize into the camp and grab Henry. Snow tells her they don't even know where the camp is anymore and then Hook points out that Pan will have shields against magic that could result in their deaths. Regina asks what Hook's idea to find the camp is, so he tells her they'll use someone he trusts, a fairy on the island who knows everything about Pan. He adds that she might even have pixie dust so they can fly in. Emma suddenly realizes who the fairy may be, so she asks if it's Tinker Bell. Upon hearing this name, Regina becomes highly distressed. Hook asks if Emma knows Tinker Bell, so Emma tells him that every kid in the world knows her. Regina yells out that it's a bad idea, telling them to mark her words, adding that Tinker Bell is not going to save them.

Regina is seen trekking through the jungle just a short distance behind everyone else. She appears distressed about having to visit Tinker Bell and she wipes sweat off her head with a handkerchief, however, she drops it when she tries to put it away. After she walks on a bit, a woman emerges from the bushes in dark clothing and picks up the handkerchief and watches Regina from afar. Meanwhile, Hook is leading the group through the jungle. Regina catches up to them and pulls Emma aside. Appearing nervous, she tells Emma there's another way, magic. Emma reminds her that they just talked about that, but Regina says she's talking about their magic together. Emma tells her she's not interesting as she's learned it always comes with a price. Regina says that sometimes not using it comes with a price and then she tells Emma that combined, they would probably be able to overpower Pan. However, Emma isn't willing to take that risk as they may not be. Emma understands Regina doesn't like the plan but asks her to at least see if they can find Tinker Bell. Regina mocks Emma, saying she thinks it's the best plan because her husband thought of it.

Hook, who is leading the group, stops to let everyone pass him. When Charming walks past him, clutching his wound, the pirate asks if he's going to tell "her". Charming asks what he's talking about, but Hook reveals he saw what happened and then asks to see his wound. They both stop walking and wait until the girls are out of sight. He lifts his shirt to reveal his infected wound, stating the arrow barely nipped him. Hook apologizes to the prince, who then bravely asks how long he has. Hook tells him he has days, or weeks at most, stating that he won't see summer. He then suggests telling Snow, but Charming refuses, so Hook tells him he must. Charming supposes that he won't have to, so Hook asks why. "Pixie dust" he replies. He then asks Hook if he believes in Tinker Bell's power, which the pirate says he does. "Then let's get her and that dust," he says, determined.

As the group continue to trek to Tinker Bell's house, Regina stops for a moment to stretch her legs. Emma notices this and tells her she's falling behind, so tells her to keep up as they're nearly there. A scared-looking Regina adds only if she still lives there, so tells Emma to waste her time searching while she waits. She then deeps a breath to compose herself. Emma notices the queen's odd behavior, so asks what she did to Tink, assuming she met her in the Enchanted Forest. Regina explains that they have a complicated history but states that she doesn't need to know the details. She adds that if Tink sees her, she won't help and if she's the way in, then her being out of Tink's sight is best for "Operation: Henry". "Operation: Henry?" Emma asks so Regina explains that it's what she's been calling the mission in her head because he'd call it that. Emma seems touched. "He'd have a better name like Operation: Phoenix, I think he would like the name" Regina smiles. Emma then says they'll get Tink and return for her, but Regina tells her not to bother as they shouldn't see each other. "And if you don't find her, just keep going. Just get Henry...don't worry about Tinker Bell" Regina begs Emma. Emma asks what the hell she did to Tink, so the queen laughs sadly and tells her what she always does to people. Emma walks away, leaving Regina sat alone.

As Regina is sitting alone in the middle of the jungle, she suddenly hears numerous creaking sounds coming from around her. She calmly stands up and then yells out to get this over with. With that, Tinker Bell emerges from the bushes and stands in front of Regina. "A complicated history? That's quite a diplomatic way of describing it" she angrily tells Regina. Regina notices Tink's dull and raggedy clothing, so she points out that she looks terrible. The fairy asks if she's trying to provoke her, to which the queen replies "Come and get me, Tinker Bell". The fairy begins to walk towards Regina and tells her she thinks she's so smart but explains that they're all going to fail. With that, she blows red dust at Regina's face. The queen instantly inhales it and then drops to the floor unconscious. Tink looks around darkly as the queen lies on the floor.

Over at Tinker Bell's treehouse, Hook pokes his head in and sees nobody is home, so he and the others enter. Charming asks where the dust would be as he begins to search, but Hook explains that she wouldn't just leave it lying around. Hook tells him it's not here and then apologizes. Emma comments that the treehouse seems bare, claiming it reminds her of someplace. Snow comments that you'd think a treehouse would be cheerier and then Emma realizes it reminds her of where she used to live. Snow tells her it's because it's just a place to sleep, so Emma asks her what she'd know about that. Her mother explains that she didn't always have a canopy bed in a palace, claiming that she used to have a place like this. Emma seems shocked by this, so Snow tells her it was a tree stump when she was on the run from Regina. Snow then comments that she understands this Tinker Bell, but then wonders why she has a ladder as fairies have wings. However, Charming suddenly finds something of interest, a handkerchief. Snow immediately recognizes it as Regina's and then wonders how it got here. Emma says that Tink was tracking them and watching Regina. The gang then realizes if she was watching Regina, then they're in the wrong place. Knowing Regina is in trouble, they hurry to go and find her.

Tinker Bell is sitting beside Regina and she comments that it's about time she woke up, adding she's been looking forward to this chat for a long time. Regina sighs and tells the fairy she doesn't know why she's in Neverland, but Tink reveals she does and claims she won't help after what she did. Regina points out that Tink is the one who interfered in her life, but Tink says she threw away her own in the process. Regina asks if Tink wants to kill her, saying it won't be easy because she knows she doesn't have magic. Regina reveals however that she has magic and she immediately breaks her binds. With this, Tink suddenly grabs an arrow and points it against Regina's neck. The fairy says she knows but adds that even her magic can't stop "this". She then asks if Regina has ever heard of Dreamshade, which she has. "Good" Tink smiles. A shocked Regina asks how Tink got like this, the fairy explains that she met her. Regina tells Tink that if she wants to kill her, she can make it easier. She then thrusts her hand into her chest, confusing Tink, and then pulls out her heart, which is dark. She offers Tink the heart, saying if she wants to kill her, she should do it by hand and not let the poison do it. "Crush it!" she yells at the fairy. Tink asks if Regina thinks she won't take it, to which the queen replies that she's counting on it. She tells Tinker Bell to show her who she is, and the fairy says she gladly will.

With Regina's heart in her hands, Tinkerbell could almost smell the victory, almost if it weren't because of that Regina has changed. She is confused, befuddled at her request. She crushes the heart a little so that the woman in front of her could understand her pain. It was Regina who made her this way as she tells her, she tried to help her proclaiming love is the best thing in all the realms, in the whole wide universe. Revenge sounded good when her wings were cut from her, all because she was trying to help a lost woman find a better destiny. She understood the humans more than an average fairy; she understood the power of love the most and that's what made her specialty as being a fairy. She was doing her job, her duty that she loves more than anything else and yet Blue took her wings away and banished her. Tinkerbell admits that she has changed, the question is having Regina the Evil Queen truly changing. So, she asks why didn't she go and meet her soulmate? How can meet a soulmate being happy was a terrible fate for her? The answer she got from Regina astounded her. "Yes. Yes, it was" Regina replies. She finally admits to not going in and says she was afraid because she felt without her anger, she'd have nothing. She asks what she'd be without it, so Tink tells her she'd be happy, but Regina corrects her and tells her she'd be weak. Moments pass with more talking between them, getting more answers which then led to more thoughts for her and eventually she realizes she couldn't do it, she can't kill her no matter how much pain and hurt has wrought upon dragged by the Evil Queen, all that Tinkerbell could do is give her heart back to her and walk away.

Tinker Bell walks out of the cave she kept Regina in and is suddenly met by Emma, Snow, Charming, and Hook, who aim their weapons at her. Emma demands to know where Regina is, but a confused Tink asks them who they are. Emma tells her she's a pissed off mother and then asks where Regina is again. Tink looks at them silently for a moment and then Regina suddenly emerges from the cave, assuring them she's fine. The fairy then asks the group to lower their weapons, threatening to take them down with her. Regina tells them that Tink won't hurt them, so asks them to stand down. Hook asks if she's going to help. Tink notices Hook and then says hi, recognizing him. Regina explains that Tink won't help them, so Emma asks why, and Hook tries to charm the fairy into helping. However, Regina explains that she doesn't have magic. A shocked Charming asks if there's no pixie dust, which there isn't. Regina guiltily adds that she doesn't even have her wings, so Emma asks how, Tink tells her that people just stopped believing in her. Tink adds that even if she wanted to help, Pan is too powerful. Snow points out that Tink knows where Pan is, but the fairy says it won't do them any good. Snow says they'll be the judges of that and then they ask if Pan trusts her and if she can get them inside their compound. Tink says she maybe can but asks why she should help them. Snow tells the fairy that she believes in her and then Emma asks Tink to get them into his camp. The fairy wonders what is in it for her once they've left with their boy other than a death sentence from Pan. Emma promises that she can come with them and Snow comments that she'll get home, assuming that's what she wants. Tink tells the group that Pan trusts her, so he'll let her in and then she explains that she'll maybe leave a way in for them. However, she tells them that they've got once chance, so hopes they have a good plan. Emma thanks the fairy, saying they will, and then Snow tells Tink to come back to their camp with them so they can figure it out.

The group proceeds to make their way back to the camp with their newest addition, but Snow notices that Charming seems upset about something. She asks him if he's all right, pointing out that he seems upset. The prince assures her that he's fine, stating he just wants to get Henry back. Snow tells him that they're on the way to that. Quickly changing the subject, Charming asks how Snow knew to offer Tinker Bell a home would work, so she explains that a home is all she wanted when she was living alone. She then thinks to herself for a moment and then explains that she never found it until he came along, claiming even now it's all she needs. He nods at his wife with an odd look on his face. She asks again if he's ok, so he tells her he loves her and then they kiss. Not wanting to get lost, Snow suggests getting going. As she walks off, Charming has a scared look on his face.

At the camp, Hook and Emma are sat next to each other beside a fire as the former pokes a hole into a coconut with his hook before giving it to Emma. She thanks him and then he pokes a hole into another coconut for himself. Tink is sat nearby and she walks past them both, and Snow and Charming, who are resting together, as she heads towards Regina, who is sat beside a tree on her own. As she sits beside the queen, she asks if Regina ever went back to find the man with the lion tattoo, but Regina explains that she didn't. Tink tells Regina she's unreal, asking if she knows how selfish she is. Regina tells the fairy that it's a lot of things but wonders how it's selfish. Tink explains that she didn't just ruin her own life, but she ruined his. Regina looks horrified and guilty at this comment.

Meanwhile, at Peter Pan's camp, Peter and Henry are watching some Lost Boys play with knives and the former comments on the fun they're having, adding that in Neverland, nobody tells you "no" and you can do what you want. Henry asks if they ever hurt themselves, to which Pan comments that they always do, explaining he used to have four boys with missing fingers. Henry states he doesn't belong here, but Pan tells him he does, explaining that they've been waiting for him a very long time, long before he was even born. Pan tells him he should, explaining that Neverland runs on imagination and belief. He tells the boy that his world stopped believing and magic is dying in every world. He tells Henry that he needs to bring it back, claiming his destiny is to return the magic and be the savior. Henry points out this his mother, Emma is the savior, which Pan scoffs at because she broke "some curse". He then tells Henry that may be breaking the curse wasn't what made her the savior but having him was. Pan explains that Henry was made for a reason, and he can help him find it. Henry confirms with Pan that he thinks he's supposed to return magic, but Pan tells him he doesn't think; he believes. He pulls out a piece of paper and tells Henry that he's had it for a long time, long before he was even thought of. He tells him to look and he'll be sure why Pan thinks he's the hero magic has been waiting for. Henry takes the paper and then Pan walks away. However, the young boy throws the paper to the ground and tells his captor that he doesn't believe him. A long-time later Henry picks the paper from the ground carefully and looks at it as the picture on the parchment. He sees his face and is horrified and confused as to why does Peter Pan has a sketch of him. He instantly has a bad feeling about this, should he trust Peter Pan, and should he believe with what Pan says?


	21. Chapter 21: Like a Burning Inferno

**Chapter 21: Like a Burning Inferno**

 **AN:** This is going to be a long chapter and I hope that it's worth it. Guess what next chapter will be about, the hint is at the end.

Emma has drawn a map in the sand with a stick as a means of helping them visualize their plan to save Henry. She points out where they're keeping him, in Pan's compound... "According to Tinker Bell," the former fairy finishes, as she walks around gathering wood for them. Emma says she knows, but it's still weird to say. The blonde tells the other blonde that "Tink" is fine, but Emma comments that she's not sure that's any better. She recounts what Tink said about there being sentries positioned across the front of the camp, which is why they are going to come in through the back entrance. Tink will talk her way in, and once she makes sure that the coast is clear, they're going to sneak on in. Tinker Bell points out that they're still going to deal with any Lost Boys once they're inside, to which Regina replies, rather snidely, that she thinks they can handle a few children with pointy sticks. Tink remarks that it's not the sticks they need to worry about, it's the poison they're dipped in. This prompts David to exchange a look with Hook... Mary Margaret points out that Hook warned them about Dreamshade, and as the former fairy starts to explain what happens with one nick of that, David gets up and interrupts her, claiming that they got it. He then asks when they can get started on that rescue mission, and Tink says that she's ready to go... just as soon as she tells them the exit plan. They all look dumb. "You do have an escape plan, don't you?"

"Not exactly but we do have a back-up plan for one if we can't find our first escape plan." Captain Hook says.

"What is the back-up plan?" Tink asks, curious thinking that they both might be on the same page.

"We need to find her as she has powerful light magic and can make a portal." Hook said looking between his wife and Tink. As Emma hears this she nods, agreeing to use their daughter as a back-up plan, if needed, be.

"Unfortunately, Pan has captured her recently and is locked up in a wooden crate. Peter Pan has plans for her and I don't know what he's planning to do." Tink says sadly speaking of her friend that she has come to like throughout the years ever since she arrived in Neverland. Though she is curious how does Captain Hook know of her?

Tink claims that they don't get, and then pulls something out of her satchel to show them - a wristwatch. She asks if they know what is - Emma points out it's a watch. Tink says she got it from the people who brought their son there for Pan. This provokes an instant reaction in Emma, who gets up and asks her where Greg and Tamara are, and why they'd give her that. Tink says she got it off the girl's body. Emma is stunned... Tink, putting it back in her satchel, goes on to say that she spent half the night cleaning the blood off it, and adds that there wasn't much left of the other guy to find anything useful in him. This provokes an evil smirk in Regina... Tinker Bell uses this scenario to prove her point: this is what Pan does to people he employs, so what is he gonna do to them should they cross him? She then says she's not sticking her neck on Pan's chopping block without a way off that island. She starts to leave, as she tells them that, when they figure that out, they can get her where she lives.

However, before she leaves, she calls out to Hook and he notices how she is walking a little way off the campsite knows that she wants to talk to him. Unknown to them Emma is following them, knowing what Tink wants to find out about involves her as well. They're going, to tell the truth to her.

"Hook how do you know about her? I know for a fact you haven't talked to her or know her as she was caged, and I was the only access to her besides while you were here years ago. How do you know about Felicity?" Tink immediately swarmed with questions and knowing the facts, she wants to know how he knows about her. As Felicity is someone who she helps and is a good friend, she is protecting her.

However, Killian Jones didn't answer her instead, he hears his wife, saying loudly to both making her presence known. "She's our daughter."

Tinkerbell looks at them, as in taking in their appearances and trying to see Felicity between them, as she sees it, she now knows that they're her parents. She was about to laugh because it seems impossible as she knows who Hook is, now it seems she doesn't, he may have the same pirate garb on but something about him as changed and is molding to a person that she doesn't know. This is the reason why she looked at them, seeing if she sees Felicity in them and she did. Though she is bloody curious. She only said one thing and that was, how.

The short story was told as Killian explains how he and Emma were cursed to forget ever since she came into the Enchanted Forest which was when she was seventeen years old and stayed there for almost two decades, almost eighteen years as they had a happy life in those years until the Dark One had to put everything back into course involving him becoming Captain Hook and blocked their memories. Tinkerbell was shocked, and not an everyday emotion she gets to show, as answers were getting filled in, how everything now makes sense, she can feel her sympathy for them. Before she left, she told them that she is caged again and even told them she can't visit her like before, as Pan told her to and tells them a warning that Pan sees and hears everything. Then did Tinkerbell left as Killian and Emma stare at each other before they left back to the camp.

There Mary Margaret is frustrated that their new aid is leaving, and David says he'll get her and bring her back, but Emma stops him, claiming that she's right. She goes on to say that if there is one thing, she's learned it's to never break in somewhere unless one knows a way out. Regina asks her if she learned that in bail bonds person school, and Emma answers that Neal taught her that. Regina doesn't reply. David turns to Hook, reminding him that he got off the island before. Hook confirms this, and explains that he left on his ship, which would require some sort of magic to create a portal, which he got from Pan... in a deal, he doesn't think Pan's ready to repeat. Regina asks if no one's ever left the island without Pan's permission, and Hook points out that one man did: Emma's partner-in-crime, Neal... Emma asks how, and Hook says maybe they can find out. He then leads the team elsewhere.

The group reaches a hideout in the woods, fashioned into the rocks and sealed with a sliding door. Regina asks what it's supposed to be, and Emma asks if Neal swung out of Neverland in a vine. Hook asks that someone be kind enough to give him a hand, and suggests that the savior does, but David steps in instead, holding Emma back. The two men make their way to the door and Hook tells his mate that he doesn't look so hot, as they start pulling on a rope to bring the sliding door up. David replies that such a thing isn't easy in that damn jungle, but that he's hot. This said he sort of pushes Hook out of the way and finishes opening the door. Hook says, "Ladies first", and the women start to enter the cave. Once they're in and David starts to go after them, Hook stops him and asks him how much longer he thinks he can keep up this charade, and whether he doesn't think his family deserves to know that he's going to die. David asks him why he cares, and Hook asks him why he doesn't. David wonders what the point is in telling them when there is nothing, he can do to stop the poison and there is no hope. Hook says that if there is one, he's learned from them hero types is that there is always hope. David asks his "mate" if there is something, he isn't telling him, and Hook replies that hope and reality are worlds apart. Hook told him the truth, he's not gonna make it off the island alive. David says that this is between them then, and the only thing they need to worry about saving is Henry. David then enters the cave, pushing Hook as he does.

Inside the cave, Emma calls out for Hook, as she and Mary Margaret look at the walls. The men enter the premise and the blonde asks the pirate what that place is and what they are doing there. The captain tries to use his hook and rock to light a fire on a torch, but David simply uses his pocket lighter. Emma then notices the drawings on the walls and realizes that Neal lived there. Hook confirms this, going on to say that Baelfire spent some time in Neverland when he was a boy, and that was his home. Mary Margaret asks him if he thinks Bae may have left a clue as to how he escaped there, and Hook says, "Well, let's hope so. Or we'll be lost just like he was." Emma continues to look around.

Emma is seen looking at the drawings on the walls of Bae's old cave, admiring them. Hook asks if she's spotted anything important, and she can't tell yet. She then points out that she didn't even know Neal liked drawing, which Hook says he got from his mother. A silent moment ensues. The rest of the crew scavenge the cave, looking for anything useful, as Emma hopes that he did leave something useful there, such as a map. Emma asks that David hand her a candle, which he does, lighting up a candle that is contained inside one half of an empty coconut shell. She asks Hook if he's had any luck, and the pirate makes it clear that he hasn't. Emma holds up the candle to the walls, passing by drawings of the entire Darling family as he knew them, as Hook tells her that there are other drawings in the far wall but as far as he can tell that's all they are, probably just a way to pass the time and keep him occupied. Emma realizes that Hook knew him well, and the captain reminds her that he and Bae spent some time together. She doesn't know how to react, and he asks her if she's alright. Emma says it looks like he's right, they're just a bunch of pictures, and she then turns to Mary Margaret and asks what it is she's examining. Her mother answers that they are just some cups and bowls Bae fashioned from things he found, and David holds up another half of an empty coconut shell, unsure of how good a cup it could have been since it's filled with holes. Mary Margaret opines that maybe it was a small colander, and Regina replies sarcastically that surely young Baelfire cooked a lot of pasta as a pre-teen. Her old nemesis gives her a look. Emma examines half of the shell and tells them to hold on. She asks Hook to snuff out the torch, which he does, and then she puts the half on top of the other half she was holding that contains the lit-up candle. The light from the candle emerges through the holes on the top half of the coconut lamp, and Regina asks if she's supposed to be impressed that he made a night light. Emma looks up at the ceiling and tells them to do the same, which they do. The light reflects above them, forming little dots over them. "Stars..." Mary Margaret says, with a smile. Hook says it's a map, and David asks where to. Emma, smiling with hope, says, "Home..."

The group is still seen to be admiring the star map that's imprinted on the ceiling above them, emerging from the coconut lamp. Mary Margaret asks Hook how he can be sure it's a map, and the pirate recounts that there was a short time in that realm when Bae was aboard his ship, and he taught him to navigate using the stars, so what they're looking at is the fruit of Hook's labors. Regina thinks he can read it, but Hook sadly denies this, which catches Emma's attention. David reminds him that he just said he taught Bae how, but Hook explains that he also taught him that the key to be a pirate is secrecy. The best captains conceal their maps in codes, and Bae was an apt pupil. Mary Margaret points out that he's saying the only person that can read that map is Neal... and Emma states that means the only person who can read it is dead. Emma can't even tell him how angry that makes her, or how much it hurt when he left her, or how terrified she was when he came back because she knew the moment, she saw him that she never stopped loving him in one form. Emma says all this trying to fight back the tears and is eventually forced to leave her parents' side so that she may go and break down by herself. Mary Margaret is hurt by her daughter. David tries to comfort her, saying Emma will be okay, and that they have done everything they can. Snow tells him that's the problem, she has no idea how to comfort her daughter, it is the first thing a mother learns, and she doesn't know-how. David says he feels the same way, but Emma is upset. Mary Margaret isn't pleased to hear this, asking him how they could even blame her, for if he died, she would not be able to move on. This triggers something in David, who tells her that she must. She is confused, and he tells her that every day they are in Neverland something bad could happen, and if it did, to him, he'd want her to move on, to continue to be happy. Snow touches his face and says that's sweet, but nothing is going to happen to him, not while she's there. She hugs him, and David looks guilty.

While Henry is waking up at Peter Pan's campsite confused at what has happened today as he thinks he saw Neal who still incessantly believes he's his son when Henry knows the truth and knows he's not. He thinks that Neal tried to save himself along with Mr. Gold, but he doesn't remember much and with that thought remembers is Neal, Baelfire supposed to be dead. He wonders what had happened wondering if she got hit on the head because really, he doesn't remember much. Henry sits up to find Pan kneeling before him. Henry asks what happened, and Pan answers that he fell asleep. He says the night is still young. The boys keep celebrating, except for Felix, who is sitting down, looking worried. Henry then hesitantly claims to remember something: when he was asleep and tells of what he heard. Pan says Neverland used to be a place where new dreams were born, and Henry can bring that magic back, and they can be his family. Henry gives this some thought. Peter then stands up and says out loud that he'd like to play a song. Henry stands up too, beside him, and Pan explains that the song is for their guest of honor, Henry. Henry smiles, and Pan starts to play on his pipe, as the boys continue to celebrate. The music seems to still not influence Henry. "You can hear the music now, can't you, Henry?" he asks, and the boy simply replies, "No." As Pan looks at him, he is still confused and doesn't understand why Henry still is not having any effects from his pipe, the music, it instantly fumes him, and he doesn't know why leaving him in anger that quenches his dark soul.

Another day ends, as another long break continues when nobody except for Killian knows how long they have been there. This was always how every day operates working on how long they can until the gang are all tired and go back to their campsite. It's been almost a week since they've got here and was only a three or two nights ago when everyone has heard the shouts of Felicity's cries. Time is wasting and everyone knows it, a lot has happened good or bad as they get closer to Henry and having an extra ally in Tinkerbell should've helped them, but she left with good reason. Unknown to them all they were already people who hold deep and dark secrets that may never come out that's affecting the group including Rumpelstiltskin who had left the group at the very start of the journey before they all arrived on land. Mr. Gold holds the deepest and darkest secret of all and has his plan knowing the prophecy he was foretold so long ago before he came the Dark One, as he helped a seer that changed his destiny. A destiny that he believes will end soon. Everyone has secrets, David is dying and hasn't still have told his wife, while Mr. and Mrs. Jones shares equal secrets that haven't been told to her parents, they're too many secrets and everyone is blind to them as they have to get Henry however somehow Neverland will get them enraptured in their confidences. Neverland will either let their secrets come alive or dwindle them, it's always one of the either and Peter Pan always knows everything whether he sees it or hears it.

After a much-needed rest, the gang decided to look at the cave that was Neal's one more time to see if they were any more clues. There weren't many clues except the tallies that are made up next to his made-up bed. This didn't help as the marks had stopped, it confirmed that he did get out of this damnable island. Seeing the tallies did bring inspiration to one Emma Jones, as her memories from her childhood had sprout back into her mind for a couple of seconds, reminding her that she gave up hope from being adopted. She decided that Henry needs a message from them telling him that they're there in Neverland looking for him as he probably doesn't know that they're there.

At Pan's campsite, Henry is seen to be lonesome sitting atop a log, lazily watching as some Lost Boys cheer at a couple of teenagers climbing some ropes attached to a tree; it is some sort of race to the top. Someone then quietly approaches Henry from behind and pokes the young man's shoulder with the tip of his spear to catch his attention. Henry, who's slightly hurt by this, turns to the Lost Boy, Devin, who just poked him, and Devin continues to aim his spear at the lad. "So, you're the one Pan has been looking for all this time?" Devin asks, almost mockingly, as he continues to poke Henry with his spear. Henry suggests that the boy ask Pan, but instead, the Lost Boy lashes out and attempts to full-on strike Henry with his spear. Henry steps back and demands that Devin stop what he's doing, which causes others at the camp to turn their attention to their supposed savior. Devin then points out that, if Henry can't take this, then how is he going to handle what Pan has in store for him? Henry then picks up a stick from the ground next to him and holds it like a sword, ready to defend against a laughing Devin's next attack. Devin then continues to hit Henry with his spear, but the young boy can defend every offense with his stick. Pan, who materializes up against a tree, comments that Henry's "not bad", adding that it would be more fun if they had real swords. Devin appears confused and Pan approaches Henry, who tells his captor that he's never used a real sword.

"This is Neverland," Pan reminds him, "And you have the heart of the truest believer. You can use whatever you want; you just need to believe, Henry." Pan then makes Henry lift his stick and instructs him to close his eyes and believe he's holding a real sword. Henry's eyes close as he obliges to Pan's command, and before him, the stick he is carrying transforms magically into an actual sword. As the other Lost Boys appear impressed, Henry's eyes open and he beholds the sword in his hand. Pan asks the awestruck child what he's waiting for, and Henry proceeds to attack Devin with his sword, who is only able to defend with a primitive spear. Pan and the others cheer Henry on, and eventually, he can completely chop the spear in two, leaving Devin to carry nothing but a handle. Henry continues to slice at what's left of the spear and ends up hitting Devin in the cheek with his blade. Henry tells Devin, who now has a gash on his face, that he's sorry, and professes that what just happened was an accident, to which Pan asks Henry if he doesn't know the best thing about being a Lost Boy: they never need to apologize. As he says this, Pan picks up Henry's dropped sword and hands it to him, inviting the other Lost Boys to cheer for the child. They do so as Henry mightily lifts his sword into the air, happily accepting the praise. However deep inside of Henry's core, deep down of Henry's soul is quite shaken with what he has done and quietly tells himself, what has he done.

"So, what? You wanna send him a message? Because I haven't seen a Neverland post office," Regina says snidely, wondering what it is that Emma's suggesting. The blonde says that they need to start being clever to send a simple sign to her son that they're coming to get him. Regina reminds them of the Lost Boys running around trying to kill them all and Mary Margaret suggests that they use that to their advantage. The former Queen wonders how, and Snow tells Regina to follow her as she can show her. The two of them then exit the cave, soon followed by David, and as Emma is about to leave with them, she is stopped by Hook. She tells him that they're wasting time and Hook moves in close to her, saying in a whisper that he approves to what she's doing and knowing how Pan works they might get an advantage. She then exits the cave, and as Hook begins to follow, he's approached by David, who saw the whole thing except to what the pirate said as he said it in a quiet voice. "Let me give you a bit of advice, Hook: she's never gonna like you," David tells the captain.

However, Hook appears resilient, replying with, "Is that so?"

"How could she?" David points out, "You're nothing but a pirate."

This statement causes Hook's wide smile to be even more apparent as he ignores what David says and responded with sass. "You're sure about that mate?"

Sometime later when they all went back to their campsite, most of them went to work while Killian watches as he sees his wife making a trap. He's not sure if any of the lost boys would betray their master, Peter Pan but then again, you'll never know as he thought to himself. Mary Margaret then asked for her husband to get more vines then David who appears weak tells her that he's on it and orders Hook to come with him. Hook wonders why, and Emma firmly tells him that they need more rope. "If the lady insists," he says with a mock bow playing his part well as Captain Hook, before following on from a disgusted Charming. Mary Margaret watches her daughter who watches Hook, but the pirate and the prince soon make it away from the camp. David snatches up some vines and Hook asks what he'd like to yell at him about now, to which Charming orders the pirate to stay away from his daughter. Hook says that Emma can take care of herself and doesn't need his parenting, which is a good thing. David wonders what that means, and Hook reminds him that he's going to die in a day or so.

The prince then says that he can't help that, but if he does die (Hook corrects him to "when"), it'll be helping his family, which is something someone like Hook can't understand. He continues to walk into the jungle and the pirate asks what he'd do if he told him there was a way to save him. David tells him that he'd say "no" as anything that takes them off course from saving Henry is selfish. "But of course you would think that was the way to go," the prince comments, and Hook is surprised to hear that David thinks he's being selfish, reminding him that he's risking his life for all of them and every moment he's there allying against Pan. David argues that Hook isn't there out of any nobility, he's there for Emma, but assures the pirate he'll see to the two of them never getting together. "It's a good thing you're gonna die then," Hook says with a smile, and David grabs his throat and attempts to punch him. However, David faint and Hook lowers him gently to the ground, commenting that he doesn't fight invalids. "Mate?" he utters, noticing David's unconscious state. He continues to try and wake the poisoned prince, grabbing his face and exclaiming, "Mate?!" Killian sees the unconscious man that is his father-in-law and knows instantly that this isn't good. As annoying he is, he must save him and invokes a plan to save his life as he thought about the man about why he is as stubborn as his brother.

David starts to wake up, lying on the jungle ground and immediately has a rum bottle shoved in his mouth by Hook, who makes him drink it. The prince spits it out in disgust and coughs as Hook helps him to his feet. The pirate advises him to have another drink but David refuses, still struggling to stand up and still coughing, assuring Hook that he's okay. Hook insists that he isn't and leans him up against a tree, demanding that he lift his shirt so that he can inspect the Dreamshade wound. Charming does so and we see that his blackened veins have spread far across his right side and are nearly at his chest. Hook points out that the Dreamshade has almost reached his heart, meaning that he has mere hours left to live and he must tell his family. David refuses, professing that he can still help them rescue Henry, and tries to move, but Hook pushes him back up against the tree and advises him to catch his breath or else the little time he has shall be lessened. When the pirate takes a few steps backward, a heavily weakened David notices something on the jungle floor and goes to pick it up - it is part of Hook's brother Liam's satchel. Charming, who's now holding it, brushes the dirt off and says that the symbol on it is some sort of military insignia. He then turns it around to see a name emblazoned on the back: Jones. He tosses it to Hook who catches it and asks if he knows the guy, and the pirate replies that Jones was his captain... and his brother.

He explains that the two of them voyaged Neverland a fair while ago and that the insignia is on a strap from his satchel which he lost during a duel with Pan. Looking up, Hook comments that it must have fallen with the rain of the storm that destroyed the Jolly Roger, and Charming wonders from where he is referring. "There," Hook says, looking up again, and Charming approaches the pirate to look at what he is - a very vast mountain named Dead Man's Peak. Hook says that he "thought it was gone forever". "Thought what was gone?" David wonders, but Hook says that it would be too dangerous. Charming continues to wonder what would be too dangerous and tells Hook not to hold back if he knows something that can help them. The pirate then proceeds to explain that, if the insignia survived all these years, then perhaps his brother's satchel did as well, and inside that satchel is a sextant that could help them decode Neal's star maps and gets them off the island. Charming then declares that he knows how he's going to spend his last hours: finding the sextant but Hook points out that, while David may reach the top, he'll die before he returns. David instructs the pirate to get him to the top and make sure the sextant makes it back to Emma, and as Hook contemplates this, he rubs his brother's insignia with his thumb.

"A sextant? And you're telling us about this now?!" Mary Margaret asks to Hook back at their Neverland camp. Regina asks how they know he's not lying, and Hook says that they don't but he's not and that it's the best chance they've got at an exit plan, which they're going to need.

Emma knew something was amiss as Killian talked about the sextant knowing she is missing something as the item has been gone for centuries, she knows that her husband has gotten rid of the object as during the time as he lit the Pegasus ablaze. As Hook approaches her, she quickly talks to him quietly. "Killian what is going on?! I know there is no sextant as you've got rid of it, so what is going on." She asks hurriedly in her rushed quiet wavering voice.

Then Killian sighs knowing that he's got to tell her the truth. "Emma doesn't show any emotions." He advised her as he explains, "remember the fight with the lost boys." She nods as he continues, "well your father got hit with Dreamshade and only has hours left." She gasps a little trying hard to not show emotion as she hears her husband. "Apparently love, he's as stubborn as my brother. I knew what I need to do, I had to trick himself thinking we're going to get the sextant."

"When you're going to give him a cure that he doesn't want," Emma says and then comments on how much she wants to kiss him for doing the right thing.

After their quiet conversation, he speaks out loud telling her that she was right, and she must get that message to Henry because every day without hope is another day closer to him becoming a Lost Boy. He then adds that her father and he should go, and David, who's packing a few supplies into a satchel he's wearing, agrees with Hook. Mary Margaret seems unhappy with the idea of splitting up and her husband assures her that it's the last thing he wants to do, but if it's the only way to get them home, then he must. Snow, who's still gathering vines for a net, submits, and David then turns to his daughter, telling her to be careful. Emma assures him that she always is, and David goes on to requests that, when she sends that message to Henry, she adds something from him; "Tell him... tell him grandpa loves him." He then hugs a very uncomfortable Emma, who ends up smiling and wishing him good luck. He savors the hug and wishes her a likewise exchange, before turning to his confused wife. She asks if he's alright and he answers positively, hugging her as well and saying that it's just that he's got to go. As they embrace, Snow tells him that she'll see him soon, but David reminds her that Neverland's a dangerous place and one never knows what might happen there. Mary Margaret pulls out of the hug to tell her beloved that he's going to be fine, and Charming nods in submission before gently kissing her on the forehead. He then goes for her lips and takes a while staring into her eyes; he utters, "I love you..." and she continues to smile as he vacates the camp along with Hook.

Hook, having made it to a high peak of Neverland's main mountain heads to the edge to toss a rope down to Charming, who's still waiting at the bottom. "Don't pull him up yet," says Peter Pan from behind the pirate, halting Hook from doing so. The boy proceeds to say that he'd like to talk alone, and Hook drops the rope, approaching him and asking what he wants. Pan says that he'd like to offer him a deal and tells Hook to come back and work for him like the old days, but the pirate tells him that he doesn't miss the old days. Pan, who disappears from where he is and reappears so that he's now facing to face with Hook, assures him that he can offer him something very hard to come by the passage of the island. "Still not interested," says Hook, and Pan offers to sweeten the deal by saying that he could take someone with him, such as Emma. Hook knows that Emma would never leave her son, but Pan points out that she did once before, and that Hook can be there to pick up the pieces. "We've known each other for a very long time, Killian. We've done business before. And I think this is the perfect time to restart that relationship," Pan goes on, but Hook continues to profess that he isn't interested, much to Pan's disbelief, and the boy continues in saying that that's what he's always liked about Hook: he's good as surviving. The demon teen then told Hook of his deal, that is if he would take it, he would like to see the prince's body on the peak as a sign, immediately Killian knew what he wouldn't do and ignores Pan.

Charming isn't far behind the pirate, and Hook says that, since David is already dying from the stuff, he shouldn't mind if he stands back whilst the prince cuts through it. David agrees, drawing his sword, but instead of hacking away at the Dreamshade, he aims it for Hook's throat. David says that he knows about Hook's deal with Pan, having heard their earlier conversation, which leads Hook to point out that he didn't take the demon child's offer. However, David continues to back Hook up against the Dreamshade, despite the pirate professing that this is what Pan wants: they turned against one another. David presses the blade right against Hook's throat and Hook, worried that he could nick himself on a close-by Dreamshade thorn, warns Charming that he's making the poison spread quicker. "I don't care," he says, "I just have to last long enough to get the sextant back to my family. Now take me to it!" Hook then admits that his brother didn't lose his satchel up the mountain where they are; he made that up. A confused Charming asks about the insignia that he found, and Hook reveals that he dropped it on the path so the prince would discover it. David, who's lowered his sword, wonders why, and Hook says that he knew Charming would never make the journey there if he knew the truth. "The truth? The truth you brought me here to die?!" David questions, but Hook argues that he brought him there to save his life. David accuses Hook of being a liar and attempts to punch him, however, the pirate easily dodges and is now able to punch Charming in turn, knocking the prince out and causing him to drop to the floor. Then in a muttering voice Killian knowing that Charming won't be able to hear him, says that I'm saving your life father in law.

Back at the campsite, the trio of women have succeeded in their plan to leave Henry a message, on a small mirror that Mary Margaret is holding, the women all look at Henry who is relieved and shock to know that everyone that he loves is there at the land. It was a comforting thought, a comforting welcome more like. However, they only had a short brief time as Henry pointed out that Pan is coming. It was only a moment for them both that everything is going to better like a burning inferno. Hope or luck for them was like a burning inferno.

When Hook has achieved on reviving Charming with the cure that leaves a heavy price, Charming wakes up and thanked him. So, when they arrived back to the campsite, David walks up to Snow and kisses her passionately, causing Regina to turn away in disgust and asks Hook where the sextant is. Hook, lying, reveals that Pan got to it first, and it's a while before Mary Margaret and David quit making out. David reveals that Hook saved his life, but lies in saying that, on their trek, they were ambushed by Lost Boys that Hook risked his life to defeat, this stopping Charming from being hit by a poisoned arrow. He approaches the pirate, saying that if it wasn't for him, he wouldn't be alive, and he requests his flask. Hook hands over his bottle of rum and Charming makes a toast to the pirate, saying that he thought he deserved a little credit. Hook thanks him, and David drinks, handing the bottle to his wife. "To Hook," she says happily, taking a sip herself. She goes to hand the flask to Regina, who states firmly that she doesn't "do rum", and so Snow hands it to Emma, who commemorates Hook with a sip of her own. As David, Mary Margaret and Regina head back to camp, Emma stays there with Killian and reaffirms her gratitude. She then grabs her pirate by his collar and pulls him in close to her, kissing him full on the mouth. The two of them continue to make out passionately, each one running their hands through the other's hair. The kiss lasts a long while, but eventually, their lips part and both are left breathing heavily, their noses still pressed together.

Later, when Killian is drinking his rum on a log when someone nearby clears their throat to make themselves known: Peter Pan, who's leaning up against a tree. He tells Hook that he really should have taken his deal, but the pirate says it looks like he didn't need Pan's help.

"You didn't take the deal because you've been married to the savior. What do you know?" Pan says amused. "I know lots of things already," Pan says while Killian feels he's ticked slowly and wondering what he was doing. " I know that you're married, have a daughter who's been here for centuries, have a son whose my enemy who doesn't still trust me. Yet you and your wife haven't told the truth to her parents. All these secrets, how is it going?" Pan says with mirth knowing he got Hook angry. "Do you know who I see Captain? I see a man who has good form from all those years back has been brought back, a man who wants to change, a man who used to be a drinker with one hand, it's pathetic. What has happened to you when I tell you this?" Pan, who crouches down before Hook, asks what a man of honor such as himself would do with a big, fat secret. Hook tells him that that depends on what the secret is, and Pan mentions Baelfire's name as he stands up ("...Neal, whatever name he goes by these days.). Hook, who stands up also, wonders what Pan has to say of him, and the demon child proceeds to reveal that, not only is Bae still alive, but he's there on the island, in Neverland. "He's here?" Hook breathes, and Pan confirms it, saying that he's sure Emma would love to know that Neal is still alive. "So, I'll leave it up to you... to tell her and all. Let's see what game I'll be playing next..." And with that, Pan wanders off into the jungle, before disappearing. Hook is left to contemplate the situation.


	22. Chapter 22: May the Truth Set you Free

**Chapter 22: May the Truth Set you Free**

Shortly after Killian was told that Neal is alive and in Neverland thanks to the demon child of Peter Pan, he's been thinking of whether he should tell the group. The only one who knows the truth besides him and Emma are Regina and Tinkerbell, who knows that Neal is not Henry's father. Neal is not important any more however the man insisted that he is Henry's, something he isn't seeing is right in his face, he doesn't have anything to Henry, no features that scream that Neal is the father, if only if he were a little bit smarter he would've seen the truth. This is what Killian is holding back on, to what his thoughts are on. Neal deserves to know the truth. The next game that they'll be playing is one should be feared about, as he knows what Pan was telling about. So, when night came and knows what he'll do the following morning, he takes a sigh and falls to sleep.

In the morning Killian told everyone that Pan had visited him. Everyone was holding a breath in fear of what Peter Pan would want. A game, another game that the master of the island wants them to do. Before he explained what game, he knows Pan wants to do, Rumpelstiltskin comes out of the blue, quite literally. Then Peter Pan makes his arrival, looking down upon the group and says, "I'm in a good mood today, so I'll give you another hint that will shall we say encourage you." Pan says then looking towards the Dark One and Captain Hook along with his wife as he says his next announcement. "To get your loved ones back, you all must share your secrets." Then he flies off.

"What does he mean, share your secrets, guyliner?" Regina snarky said, not happy that she couldn't leave because of that, that kid. She was planning to leave, as she didn't want to get the son of the Dark One, as they keep on wasting days of a hindrance, following a game that is becoming to have more obstacles than she ever had encountered.

Killian then shouts saying, "Follow me and listen." He said in his Captain Hook persona, determination to get their daughter as soon as possible when he knew Pan won't follow and that they all could finally leave. He already knew the location and in so strides off. "Prepare yourself, everyone, we are going to one place that I've never been to. I've lost half of my crew there in the early years when I came back here. We are going to a place called Echo Caves, where you must tell your deepest, darkest secret. Any secret that you haven't told to anyone, the vilest acts that you wish to be kept inside you, the secrets that you wish to take with you to the grave are all that you have to pour out when we get into that cave. The name of the cave derives from the saying the deeper the lie, the more truth there is in its echo."

As they all trekked through the forest, they all came to stop at the cave where the six of the party made a long breath before walking into the Echo Caves. One by one, everyone walked in. Inside the cave, there was a large cavernous area with simple rock pillars in the middle of nowhere standing about between five to ten feet apart, with no way of getting to it. Atop of the pillars lies a wooden crate where a person was caged inside. On the right side there sat a young man with dark brown hair with brown eyes who was once named as Baelfire, now named as Neal Cassidy. On the left side, there was a young woman who physically looked as she still looked like a child with dark brown hair with some curls with blue-green eyes. The party of six gasped at the sight of them, more so to a teenaged girl, as she looks more rundown than the others including themselves or Neal. They knew that taking in her bare appearance that she has been at Neverland for a longer time. Neal noticed the gang first and shouted Emma's name first before Felicity then looked at the gang and bellowed mama and papa. Snow comments that the gap must be one hundred feet across, so Charming suggests fashioning some sort of rope to swing across with.

"That's not how it works. Were you not informed when once you stepped in here?" Felicity said astutely. "Just so you know once I'm out of this cage, I'm going to hurt Rumpelstiltskin." She forewarned.

"Are you crazy, Felicity?" Neal says, "he's the Dark One and my father. Do you have a death wish?"

"I'm not crazy Baelfire, I know what I'm doing. Besides I want to hurt him, not kill him, there's a big difference between hurt and kill, Baelfire."

"It's Neal!" Neal irritated.

"Fine, Neal," Felicity said in astonishment and defeated, not wanting to go in a full-blown quarrel of something so minuscule. Seriously what has had happened to the Baelfire she once knew, that was once her friend upon a time instead this man has a different aura one, that she doesn't want to afflict herself with, someone who is troubled and cannot be trusted. She can't help but wonder what happened to him.

After their little dispute, Killian and Emma looked at their daughter's curiosity in their eyes with amusement as they heard that Felicity wanted to hurt the Dark One. Okay, maybe there was more amusement then curiosity that they were letting on. Due to this, they asked the not so trustworthy Rumpelstiltskin about his secret about why Felicity where was forced to live in Neverland, for all these centuries. However, he didn't answer and told them they should explain first about her, first as he pointed to Felicity with eyes toward the confused couple that is Emma's parents, the Charmings.

"What is he talking about Emma?" Mary Margaret and David asked.

"There are no secrets between us," Mary Margaret says reassuringly but when Emma stays silent and moves closer to Killian's comforting arms that were placed around her daughter she asked, "Emma is there something that we should know?" As she asked this, her husband David looks like he wants to kill the pirate as he watches Emma go toward Captain Hook's side.

"Yes, _we_ have been wanting to tell you two ever since we left Storybrooke," Killian says surprising the Charmings as they expected an answer from Emma with his eyes in contact with David and Mary Margaret. Then he shifted his eyes to Snow White, "seems like today is the day where you Snow White and Prince Charming get to know the truth. Today's the day." Killian says although cryptic, might help bring back memories from a certain conversation they had talked so little about, where before he left the town in a trance to kill Mr. Gold.

At first, Mary Margaret was confused. However, the words he said were brought back on the eve of the morning when she talked to him on the deck of his ship. The words were familiar to her as if she already heard them, it was déjà vu as memory plays back. When all this happens, Emma and Killian are having a silent conversation between them told through them eyes wondering who should start first, seeing the expression on Snow White's face when she figured it out, Emma's voice was heard in a clear voice.

"When I was seventeen years old while I was sleeping, someone or something made me go through a time portal. I was sleeping then I was drowning, I was shocked needless to say that I didn't know what has happened to me, that I didn't notice that I was at a place I didn't recognize or didn't notice the time of the place I've arrived." A small smile was seen upon her face.

"I saved Emma from drowning." Killian then says, "that's how we met, at that time I was a young and proper lieutenant. A time when I still had my brother. Shortly after saving Emma, I was then assigned to take care of your daughter from my captain who was also my brother and would be the last true voyage I would share with him. While still on my original duties, I took care of Emma and due to that, we got to know each other that led to being courted. As the trip was winding down, I proposed to Emma and when we got back to the mainland, no less than a fortnight later we were married. A couple of weeks passed when I got another mission from the king, Emma fell immediately pregnant shortly from our short honeymoon at the time and stayed there while my life changed from being a proper lieutenant to the pirate captain."

"When Killian came back home, I got the shock of my life and I knew our lives were changed forever. He came back to me and took me away from the king, as he suspected that the king knew what he was doing and wanted to get rid of us, so we found a secluded island with a cottage. We stayed there and for a while, it was home, then I gave birth to our firstborn, our daughter, Felicity Amelia Jones. We stayed there for about eight years but then the king found out where we're living so we left on the Jolly and lived there for another eight years. Until one day when the Jolly was docked, we went out and I told Killian and Felicity that I had good news to tell them unfortunately that never happened as Rumpelstiltskin here than appeared and said that I had changed things ever since I've arrived at the Enchanted Forest and that he had to fix it. So he poofed Felicity away from us, dealing with her past so that she'll be forced to live here for centuries, while he took Killian and mine's memories away from those seventeen years and had us deaged then I was gone back to the land without magic meets Neal. While Killian was beginning his new life as Captain Hook with false memories and since I was back, with no memories from the Enchanted Forest, I didn't remember that I was pregnant and believed that it was Neal's."

After that the confession, Mary Margaret and David listened in rapt attention, hearing the long story of their life together, of their daughter live intermixed with Captain Hook's life. David didn't want to accept the story because Captain Hook is his son in law through both deemed that everything makes sense now that they know the truth. They were silent as they took the many life-changing information, it was overwhelming. They learned a lot. They learned many things, many secrets one Emma is married to Killian Jones for many years, they have a granddaughter named Felicity Amelia Jones who is currently still in the wooden crate waiting to be saved, Neal isn't Henry's father but Killian's the pirate captain, and Rumpelstiltskin will always interfere with our family causing havoc including Killian as he made him Captain Hook. In the silence, the cave shakes when three-quarters of the rocky bridge that is made to Felicity's pathway is made that was filled with amazement and shock that the long confession by Emma and Killian was shared between was filled with three secrets. Those secrets were their marriage, Henry's true father, and that Killian didn't become Captain Hook by himself rather than it was Rumpelstiltskin's making.

The Dark One has many confidences of his own from his long life that he still lives, he doesn't have many regrets, only a few but the wonder of keeping many secrets that the Jones have shared brought them an almost complete bridge towards their daughter. It was this simple action like so many in the cave were in shock of, their secrets were going to change the dynamic of the group no doubt. Yet he's afraid to spill his confidences, he could spill out why he left Felicity here to Neverland but does Peter Pan want him to let him know who his parentage was to the group including his son, who will hear his family background. He deemed it to never tell Baelfire who his grandfather, his father is or his mother is, he wanted to protect his son from the darkness instead the darkness came to him so easily as it did to his mother and father that no one knows about. It's his greatest secret, the thing is will today be that day to share his greatest secrets including the prophecy involving the child Henry who is not his grandson. Then there's his fear of Felicity Jones which will be explained in a few moments after the shock from everyone including himself have endured.

The silence fell out as the gang then looks at Rumpelstiltskin and he speaks with his eyes belonging to the pirate captain with his savior wife. "My secret of your daughter is simple. I fear her. I fear Felicity Amelia Jones because of the power that she withholds. As the Dark One, I wanted to kill her however she was young, still full of pure innocence and I couldn't. Due to her innocence and fearful if I did kill her, I was worried that Mrs. Jones and Captain Jones here would try to kill me, so I sent her here to avoid a mess that I didn't want to foresee." Another rumble was sent throughout the cave again as a completed bridge to Felicity's pathway was finished.

Emma and Killian felt like want to kill him as the Dark One as he wanted to kill their daughter. He was fearful of her powers that she withheld which was full of light magic. They know their daughter was powerful regarding light magic alone. While Emma has magic, it came as a subset of rare light magic that she encompasses, which is also her destiny. Being a savior has a destiny that she can't foretell and has the more powerful magic as her magic derives from light magic but having savior magic is powerful magic. There is no difference between her and her daughter, they are both powerful in their birthright however savior magic is different from the general light magic.

Anyway, she felt with her magic that she wanted to kill him, it was like singing to her, to let it all out and hurt him. However, after another silence that changed that atmosphere inside the cave, it was tension so before she could do anything David who looked he wanted to say something however Mary Margaret started to share her secret before her he did. Mary Margaret tells him that ever since the curse broke and they found each other and Emma, there has been something she hasn't wanted to admit. After a moment of hesitation, she tells her husband that Emma is a beautiful, smart, and an amazing woman whom she loves very much and could not be prouder of. However, she adds that she's all grown up and she's not okay with that, no matter how much she pretends. She tells her husband that they missed 'it'. She explains that their relationship with their daughter is unique, but it isn't what she wanted. "We were cheated out of everything, her first step, her first word, her first smile... we missed it all" Snow cries. David asks what she's saying, so the princess tells him that once they leave Neverland, she wants another go at "it" and she wants another baby. With this secret revealed, the caves begin to shake again and more of the bridge forms.

A distraught but pleased Charming tells his wife that nothing in this world would make him happier than having another child. As he says this, Hook gives an awkward look, knowing the price of the cure. Charming tells his wife that he knows she'd make an amazing mother, making her smile, however, her smile disappears when he tells her that it can never happen...at least not with him. A confused Snow shares a glance before the former asks Charming what he's talking about. After a moment of hesitation, the prince explains that when he and Hook went to find the sextant, he was being taken to find a cure. An angry Snow asks what the cure was for, so Charming explains it was for Dreamshade. Snow realizes that it was from when the Lost Boys attacked them and when he pushed her out of the way. He states he was not fast enough, and he was hit. Before Snow can speak, Charming continues to explain that Hook could find a cure...but one that came at a price. He reveals that he cannot leave Neverland, because if he does, he will die. Snow is left speechless, yet again, this moment is ruined when the cave shakes and more of the rocky bridge is formed. As Charmings told Snow this, he saw her expression and looks around the cave seeing everyone's reaction, Regina shrugged and shook her head, while the Dark One didn't cave though was amused by the situation at hand, as he sees her daughter she only looked at him, as if she already knew, as if her expression was nothing.

"You told her?!" David fumed to the pirate captain.

"Emma already knew something was up, mate." Killian stated simply and repeated it now that they know Emma is his wife, "Not my fault that my wife knew me too well to know something was up. She knew I have gotten rid of the sextant after my brother passed. I told her of my plan, my ruse to get you cured and she agreed."

As this confession was roused, Mary Margaret listened and looked at her daughter to find recognition. Most of all she was surprised that Emma, her daughter knew of David's delicate situation. Her memory was brought back to her when David said goodbye to her when he and Captain Hook was finding a cure for him. It was like who can be trusted and yet she finds herself and her family watch as they all spill their secrets that are creating a divide amongst them. She does not know where she falls in as she is speechless from what her husband had said, it was a great shock. She does not know what is going to happen once they exit the cave. The atmosphere in the Echo Cave keeps on changing.

Regina only shrugs, knowing that it was her turn. Throughout all the confession that she heard, she has been thinking, for the most part, thinking her deep secrets. It seems that she does not have many secrets, only two or three, that is it. From all that she has done, she has no regrets and only a few secrets, much to her consternation and surprise. Should she talk about her cowardice before she became the Evil Queen or tell them about her infertility? Weighing her options, she felt that she does not want her stepdaughter or anyone to feel her pity and sympathy.

"At one point in time, before I was married to your father Snow, a fairy felt sorry for me and decided to help me out. Her name is Tinkerbell and she found my True Love. My secret is that I was a coward. I could have met him, the guy who has a lion tattoo on his arm. Tinkerbell left urging me to go inside the tavern and meet him. I was afraid and I left, becoming a coward for only that night. I wasn't ready to meet him, so I did the only thing I can do at that moment, I fled." Regina revealed hoping that this secret was enough because she cannot tell anyone about her infertility. At first, she was afraid, waiting for the rumble, so that another part of the bridge towards Neal would create. A couple of seconds later, there was still silence. She groaned. "Why didn't it work!" she yelled exasperatedly.

"The secret that you've told Regina was because the cave deemed it to be an ordinary secret, not deep and dark. It wasn't acceptable." Killian said however Regina groaned at Captain Guy Linear even though he is right, she just was not ready. "Do you have any kind of secret that nobody doesn't even know about? Any dark secrets?" he asked. Regina solemnly nodded. She takes a long deep breath.

"I was devasted when mother killed Daniel. Rage, agony, and grief I was in that it brought me to learn about dark magic. This was before Tinkerbell came to help me, even before I was married. I had nothing left in me. I was still in mourning when I found a potion that could make you infertile. I made the potion and took it. When the curse was made and released, I thought I would be happy instead I was left with a hole in my heart. After a couple of years and after meeting Owen who was Gregg, I have decided to adopt a child. Though I didn't know I was getting a child who's my enemy of Snow White's grandchild, that the child I have learned to love is also Captain Hook's son, I know that I will always love Henry and that I don't what would happen if I no longer have him. I'm also afraid that the four of you (as she points towards the two couples, the Charmings and the Jones) will take him away from me." Another silence was followed with a rumble of cave building the last part of the piece of the bridge to Neal's pathway.

"We will work something out Regina when we get back to Storybrooke," Emma said knowing this was not the time to discuss Henry. "Let's find him first." Emma then included in because the most important thing now was to find Henry and bring him back home where he is safe.

"What happens now, we all said our secrets, shouldn't my son and Miss Jones be out of the cage now?" an irritated Rumpelstiltskin asked.

"Don't even think about using any weaponry or magic to get us out of the cage because it wouldn't work. Someone in here has more secrets to be shared or maybe a darker secret that is yet to be told." Felicity said and somehow, she knew it would be the Dark One who would free her and Neal out of these cages.

Then the gang, from one individual to another said that they were no secrets that needed to be heard, as one by one declines, the more agitated did the Dark One became. As he is only filled with silence thinking about which greatest secret should he tell. He pondered will one great second do or will it not? He is so not inclined to tell them about the prophecy regarding Henry as no doubt, Henry is still the boy the prophecy was talking about. He only looked at his son, Baelfire, no Neal the name that his son chose to be, thinking about how he will react about his heritage.

"Neal there is something you should know about your grandparents. It is one of my greatest secrets and I wanted to protect you. There was a reason when I knew I arrived here instantly that I separated myself from the others. I knew who we are facing, and I've been trying to find a plan to get rid of Pan, he is one of my greatest enemies. However, he is also someone who's also related to us. Peter Pan is not who he seems to be, Peter Pan is a disguise of his evil self and I unknowingly helped him to implant his new name. His real name is Malcolm and he's my father, your grandfather, Bae. Your grandmother, my mother is still alive however she has been banished from the fairies, her name is Fiona and is mostly known as the Black Fairy."

After Rumpelstiltskin's confession, there was shocked expression written in everyone's faces including Felicity who knew about the familial connection between Pan and the Dark One, however she didn't know the mother connection. Regina shouted or more accurately yelled "WHAT!" While the others only stood there in silence. There were no rumbles, however, the sound of an unlocked sound came from the cages.

Felicity and Neal are now freed.

It all happened too fast. Felicity did what she wanted to do earlier as she told them, pinned Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One, down on the ground of the cave. There were some punches she threw in her rage. Snow White and Charming looked at their granddaughter as if they were debating what she was doing was right or wrong. Emma and Killian were impressed and amused looking at the spectacle they were creating. Regina never thought this day would come, seeing someone take Rumpelstiltskin down, pinned on the ground and thought that the daughter of the pirate and savior is either very brave or stupid but she didn't care as she is amused at the sight. If only the Charmings could see that.

After that, everyone exits the Echo Cave.

Outside the Echo Caves, Felicity thanks everyone while Neal does the same although begrudgingly. Neal then walks to Emma sharing his secret to her he regardless of what he has learned. He tells her that he still loves her and wishes that he could fight for her but won't as he leaves with a sorrowful expression, in defeat.

Once everyone was out and stopped talking, everyone was split. This time it was a matter for what's more important or in actuality who to trust. The Echo Caves has brought in new perspectives with new information, for at which everyone is deciding on what to do. Rumpelstiltskin needs to find a way to defeat Pan and Regina decides to go with him for a change of scenery with the two couples and accepts the invitation as he wanted a familiar regarding magic. While the rest of them will handle how to get out of Neverland with plan A as Killian then tells Neal that they found his cave and found the coconut with holes and showed it to him. Neal then tells them this is how they're getting back home to Storybrooke and explains while he decides to stay with them rather than his father. Neal felt like what he learned was a lot about his family and no matter how weird and awkward it will be he decided to go not with his father but with the family of the Charmings and the Jones.

They said their goodbyes, made their split and left far away from the Echo Caves as soon as possible working on their new plans acknowledging the new dangers.


	23. Chapter 23: Aftershock

**Chapter 23: Aftershock**

Silence lingers as the Jones and the Charmings along with Neal made their pathway away from the Echo Caves, away from the Dark One. It was not a tumultuous journey nor was it short, the walk is what they needed. The Echo Caves changed everything. Silence lingers except for every movement they all make, every step they make on the grass, the crunches of breaking branches with their feet, stepping on the leaves, they let nature take its course and let it swallow them.

The shock was one of the things that they had experienced. Secrets now out in the open, that no one can talk even if they wanted to. Neal accepted things between him and Emma and is not going to fight about it, he now knows that they weren't meant to be. For him, it was a desirable dream that he held on to for too long. He truly believed he was doing what was right because they are true loves, however, everything that he thought he knew, the belief that they were meant to be which help aided to him was by August, Pinocchio, he thought he was doing the right thing. However, that's the cusp of the problem which to him began, his love for Emma, what he did was it right or wrong, or was it simply meant to be, simply meant to happen. The secrets that he heard from them, felt like a punch to his very own heart, and the things that he did, that he believed in like what he did about Henry suddenly makes sense. Everything made sense and it was clear to him that he was just a chess piece on a board game. He was never meant to be truly loved by Emma Swan. Though he knows now that he was meant to meet her.

When the six of them had stopped and made camp, it was time to use Neal's plan as a plan to get out of Neverland after they find Henry. So, Neal told them the story of how he got out of Neverland, through something which he has created which they already found. There was a short pause after he goes step by step, followed by Killian's and Felicity's reaction when he talked about Pan's shadow which leads the brief shocked pause.

"Crazy. Absolutely crazy." Felicity said. "You did this when you were what thirteen, fourteen years old, and survived. It's practically suicide. It's crazy and this seems to be the only way to get out of here without using me as a backup plan, so do it though I am not going. I am not going to the darkest part of Neverland, so how about this we split up into three where one will go through the darkest area of Neverland while I will find Tinkerbell to let her know that we have a plan."

It was quietly decided that Killian, Emma, and Neal would take care of the shadow, going into the deepest parts of Neverland is also the darkest part of Neverland. While Felicity is with Mary Margaret and David, her mom's parents. Shortly thereafter they are anticipating as they plan their next journeys.

Mary Margaret is seen putting away her arrows into her backpack. David notices her hassle and asks if she needs help, but she quickly shuts him off, saying she can handle her pack. She gets up, and he calls out her name, but she ignores him and walks over towards her daughter to rummage for more supplies for her pack. Emma, having noticed this, asks her mother how long she is going to avoid talking to David. The blonde comments that she gets that her father didn't tell them about his illness so that everyone can keep their focus on the mission at hand. Mary Margaret did not seem to care as she sarcastically replies that it's good to see Emma's inherited his tunnel vision. Emma asks her what that means. "Nothing," she says. They both get up and Emma tells her she says a lot with "nothing". Mary Margaret inhales and tells her to be careful with Hook and Neal. Emma says that the one they need to be careful with is the shadow. Shortly they all left the campsite at the same time, the six of them spilt into threes.

"There you are," Pan says, as he approaches Henry at his compound. He asks the young man if he would care to take a stroll, for there is someplace special he'd like to show him. Henry, not getting up or looking back, tells the villain that he's not going anywhere with him. Pan kneels and asks why not, and Henry replies that he thinks Pan's lying to him because his family is in Neverland. Pan asks what makes him so sure, and Henry asks if it matters. Pan grins and says it doesn't, but we'd be remiss if he didn't point out what does: "If your family's here, Henry, why haven't they come for you?" Henry turns around and says that maybe he's keeping them from him. Peter promises him that he's not holding his family prisoner, and Henry asks why he keeps disappearing into the jungle. The kid says Pan is hiding something from him, and he's going to find out what it is. He gets up and walks off into the jungle. Felix approaches his leader and comments that it would appear they're losing the boy. Pan says Henry just requires some effort. "Given his lineage, I'd expect nothing less," he adds. Felix asks if he should bring the cage there, and Pan denies this, claiming to have another idea. Hoping that this time this idea would work out, that Henry would be fooled, and then he would make a quick way to become immortality.

When Snow White along with her husband, Charming, and their granddaughter left, the couple is seen to be ignoring each other. It wasn't long enough when Snow couldn't stand the quiet anymore, so she looks at her granddaughter. She thought this could be the perfect time to get to know her mysterious granddaughter.

"So, you're our granddaughter." Snow Starts.

"It appears so," Felicity said.

"Where to start, I didn't know you've existed, it seems so impossible, and yet it is possible, as you are here."

Felicity laughed for a couple of seconds, amused by her grandmother. "You're telling me, I've just found out that I have grandparents and technically I'm older than my grandparents. I am maybe physically sixteen years old but I've been here in Neverland for centuries and mentally I'm older than what I physically look like." She pauses, thinks for a moment and asks, "Is there anything more I should know about our family, like this, this shock and all because I don't know if I could handle another incredible surprise."

"Do you remember Regina, the one with short black hair who was wearing the red blazer." Snow begins, as Felicity nodded remembering her. "Well, she's my stepmother and also Henry's mother."

Felicity breathed in and out three times before she was sobered with all the information that she had just learned more about her family. "Why does it feel like every time I learn something about our family, our family gets more unique by the second." With that David and Mary Margaret truly laughed together although they are still ignoring each other, they couldn't help it.

"That's probably because it is the truth," David said as he looks towards his wife.

"It's also because we feel it too." Mary Margaret said seeing David look at her, as she looks at him as well for only a few seconds before ignoring him again. "So how was it, your life, before-"

"Before Neverland." She pauses thinking about her life before Neverland before her life changed before Rumpelstiltskin did what he had to do and as she thought about it, she spoke out loud sharing her thoughts, her memories. "It was a good life. We weren't rich or poor, so we got what we needed. For the first eight years of my life, we lived on a secluded island, in a cottage and it was lovely there. It may be a secluded island; it was a nice quiet comfortable life there. I loved it there, I remember helping mama with she called gardening and helping her to cook, there weren't many children there and close to none who were around my age, so I always helped mama. Then there's papa, he's fun to be with so we played a lot together outside whenever he's home so I don't see him much as he was always working, helping not only just us, he also helped with providing provisions for the island as well. When he came back home, he devoted his time with me during the day and devoted his time in morning and night with mama. Then shortly after I turned eight, life got interesting and next thing I was living on papa's ship. On the Jolly, I had my room and it used to be papa's old room back when he was lieutenant, it was small but manageable. When I turned thirteen years old, my parents have decided that I was old enough to learn how to defend myself, so papa devoted his time when he had time off to teach me on using a sword and a dagger. That took long especially with the sword, it took me years until the day I passed and the day I got my very own sword and sadly it was the last birthday we've ever celebrated together. It was a good life."

As Snow and David heard about her life, they couldn't help but smile along with her. It did sound like they all lived a good life despite some of the obstacles that their daughter had gone through. Though it was with surprise that Killian had a job, a pirate who helped with his small community. They weren't expecting it, particularly David as his wariness to his, no he is not thinking about the pirate as his son in law. However, Snow has had already considered him as a good man and better yet to be proud of him to call him as her son in law.

"How was it like having a pirate as a father?" David asked curiously.

"There are moments in both good and bad. For example, papa's very protective of me and it can be seen a bad thing for me because when I want to date someone, he must get permission to go out with me through papa. According to papa, it's a test of bravery and courage, to go out with a pirate's daughter. None succeeded; however, I'm hoping when we're out of here that I could date by saying that I've spent centuries here stuck with annoying lost boys, I earned it. It's the least thing that papa can do."

"Good luck with that." Her grandmother said, Mary Margaret said.

"Yeah, I'm going to need it," she said. "Now the good, well a lot of girls will most likely find me crazy for saying it but learning how to defend myself would fit into that space. I know it's not feminine to like defending yourself, but I do because I believe that you never know what's going to happen to you and I don't like being defenseless. Besides, I like it because sometimes it helps to build and to have confidence. I've also liked the traveling and the freedom; this is something I've learned to like ever since I've lived on the Jolly, it opened my eyes in more ways than one, I've learned a lot when I was on the Jolly Roger."

Then there was some silence as Mary Margaret and David took account of what she has said as they continue walking through the forest. Shortly thereafter there was no comment from them, and the silence was plunged in back again. Eventually, David drinks from his water pouch as he treks through the wild scenery of Neverland. He tries to hand his wife some water for herself, but she tells him she's okay, walking past him. "Are you?!" he asks, seeing as how she's hardly said two words to him since the caves. He starts to say that he knows she's upset that he didn't tell her he was poisoned, and even though that might seem like it isn't fair, that was all he was trying to do: be fair. Mary Margaret ignores him and says, "I think... Tinker Bell's is that way." She points in a direction and heads towards it, David sighs.

Unintentionally Felicity confirms that they're all going in the right direction. She couldn't help it, but she could feel the tension between them, between her grandparents. So far, she hasn't learned from them, to get to know them but strangely she's okay with that and telling them what they want to know about her. She feels like she has to say something about what's going on with them however she knows what it's about, she heard their secrets and she wants to help them in some way. She just hopes that her parents' journey is going better than hers is as her journey has become awkward.

Neal, Emma, and Hook brave through the woods of the island as well, to try and find Dark Hollow, then Neal suddenly stops and says they're gonna must cut their way through. At this, Killian unsheathes his blade, his cutlass, and cuts through his way through the jungle. The animosity between the three of them was shown and very awkward, to say the least especially between Neal and Killian. It was hard for Neal to look at Captain Hook whom he knows from his experience that he was just a villain searching to avenge his love supposedly by his mother. It was obvious as Neal's thoughts or rather his anger was steaming slowly but surely. While Emma is confused, she turns towards her husband and asks him what that was about. Hook sighs and explains that he assumed Neal had heard his secret, and that Emma had told him of their moment, in which Emma confessed to Killian that Neal loves her. They all move ahead, however, with Neal leading the way through the plants they enter a dark area that consists of naked tree stumps and trunks. Its light is a dark orange, and a sudden gust of wind blows through, stunting Emma. Bizarre sounds are heard. "Dark Hollow," Neal says, and Hook says that this is where the victims of Pan's shadow reside. Neal confirms this, adding that they're forced to spend eternity in that darkness. He keeps on moving, with the others walking behind him, and tells them to be sure they don't join them.

As Felicity, David and Mary Margaret continue their journey towards the shelter of Tinker Bell, the charming hero tells his wife that he thinks they're almost at Tink's at which Felicity gave another confirmation. He then can see why the former fairy picked that area, a nice quiet jungle, and comments that it might make a good spot for a hut, asking for his wife's opinion afterward. Snow looks annoyed and doesn't reply. Felicity then looked at them in amusement, wondering where this is going, most likely this is about secrets being unleashed from the Echo Caves. She still didn't know if she will get herself involved in this situation however, she holds her tongue and hopes that both of her grandparents will work it on by themselves, as this seems to be what's going to happen. She is going to see the aftershocks of her grandparent's reaction and hopefully, on the way, they'll make up in the end as she wants to be with her whole family including them however first they need to talk. She then watches in silence.

He then suggests a treehouse, if she prefers it, and calls out for her, by Mary Margaret. She keeps on walking and he calls out for her, using Snow instead. He asks when she's gonna start talking to him again, and states that she needs to say something. She stops, turns back, and tells him, "Why?! You didn't! You didn't tell me anything!" He starts to explain himself, saying that at first, he was hoping that he could find a cure for the poison, and if he could then he figured there was no reason to worry her. Snow reminds him that he did find a cure, but he still didn't tell her. He acknowledges this, and she asks if he was afraid to worry her again. He denies this and starts to say that he didn't think... Snow interrupts him, angrily saying that he didn't think she had a right to know he could never leave that island. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I was scared!" he finally tells her. She asks him if he thought she wouldn't stay there with him, after everything they've been through, whether he thought she would ever leave his side. David denies this, saying that he knew she wouldn't, and that's what scared him, he didn't want that for her, he didn't want her to be stuck on that island with him. The price of the cure was something he didn't want to force on her. Snow tells him love means being together, and Charming says it also means sacrifice and protecting the person you love. "How could a part of me not want you to leave this place?" he asks her, tears in his eyes, and she points out that she would happily build a treehouse and spend the rest of her days dodging poison arrows and Lost Boys as long as she had him by her side. He stops. "But you should have told me," she says, with utter sadness. He says that he knows and apologizes. She then moves in for an embrace. He holds his wife in his arms, and she tells him, "You didn't believe, David. You needed to believe in us." He kisses her.

Then Felicity reacts. "No, you're not! You're not staying in this bloody place of Neverland! I've been forced to stay here for **_Centuries. Centuries!_** Let me tell you about living here, it's been almost like hell, dealing with Pan hovering behind my back almost every day, dealing with the annoying lost boys who always want to fight because that's what makes them happy. It's sick. And you want to stay here. You're crazy." Felicity said in her rage, her unbelievable words spoken in such a tone of surprise. She takes a pregnant pause realizing what she said, taking in the words within her, giving them reasons why they shouldn't stay here in Neverland. She now knows what to do. "Do you know what being a Jones is about?" she asks them shaking their heads. "It's being a fighter and a survivor. What we are going to do is this… we will do anything to find a cure or something. We will fight a way for you to survive. We are not leaving anyone behind including you. I've been without my parents for centuries and now I've learned I've more family and I want to be together with my family. Nobody's staying behind." She repeated herself while the Charmings just look at their granddaughter in a new light.

David then quietly says to Snow, "she has a little bit of you in her." Snow then nodded as they follow their granddaughter, to find Tinkerbell as they continue their journey.

While Neal, Emma, and Hook reach a sort of clearing in Dark Hollow. The female asks if they just wait for Pan's shadow to show up, which Neal confirms. He takes the coconut shell out of his bag as he says that when it does, they'll be prepared, and Emma asks to be told how the coconut works. Neal explains to her that they light the candle and the shadow is drawn to it. He places the coconut on a fallen log and adds that if it gets close to the flame, it gets sucked in, so they just close the lid, and it's trapped. Hook tells them it sounds like a fine plan except for one thing: their lanterns went out. This said, he puts his lantern down and asks how they're gonna ignite the candle. "Welcome to the 21st century," Neal says, holding up a pocket lighter. He tries to turn it on but is unable to. Emma asks them how it's coming, and Neal tells her to hang on. Hook offers to help, and Neal refuses his help, saying he's got it. Hook says that he's only got one hand and he can do better than that, to which Neal retorts that now is not the time to try and impress Emma. Hook asks him if he thinks that's what he's doing, and Emma reprehends them for doing that now. Hook tries to call Neal to reason and snatches the lighter from Neal. He tries to set it off, but can't either, to which Neal comments that it's harder than it looks, with snide. They struggle to get control of the lighter, and eventually accidentally throw it into a mass of branches, losing sight of it. Emma tells them they don't have time for this, and both move to try and find the lighter, while Emma picks up both halves of the coconut shell. Then, an ominous sound is heard, and she is caught off-guard. She quickly unsheathes her blade at the sight of a shadow descending from high above, as she shouts that they don't have time for that. She asks if that's Pan's shadow, and Neal confirms it, but two other shadows appear alongside the main one, and Hook asks about them, unsheathing his blade. The shadows start swarming around them, disorienting the group, as they try to evade them. A shadow starts to taunt Emma, who cowers against a tree stump, and another shadow pins Hook against a tree. Emma calls out for him, but another shadow pins Neal against another tree, as he calls out for her. Emma crouches down and Pan's shadow soars right next to her.

Emma is scared out of her mind. She cowers down against a tree stump, holding the coconut shell and her cutlass, as the shadow soars over her. It flies down to attack her, but she gets it off her. The shadows attacking both men start to rip their shadows from them, and they scream in agony. Neal screams at Emma to get out of there, but Emma opens the coconut shell and decides to use her magic to ignite the candle. She tries hard to concentrate, as the men get their shadows almost removed, she flicks her hand and the candle is set ablaze. The shadow's attention is then drawn to it. Emma holds the coconut shell up, and the shadow unwillingly sucked in. She closes the lid, and the shadows disappear, reuniting both Neal and Hook with their shadows and causing them both to fall on the ground. Neal asks her how she did that. They try to recompose themselves, as Emma recuperates from her fright, and then tells him, "Magic." She answered dumbly then the three of them left Dark Hollow.

Away from his family, outside of Peter Pan's campsite, Henry is sneaking through the woods, following Felix very closely. The Lost Boy stops to turn around once, but Henry is nowhere to be seen. He keeps on walking and Henry comes out from behind the tree he hid next to. As Felix continues walking through the woods of Neverland, and not-so-subtle drops his bag, and continues walking, as though he hasn't noticed it. Henry peeks from behind a tree, and notices a hideout up front, with some stairs leading up.

He moves in to search the bag and finds an apple inside. Coughing sounds are heard. Henry puts the bag on his shoulder and then climbs up the stairs, only to find a small bedroom at the end of them, with a curly blonde girl lying in bed, all by herself. Henry stands in the bedroom and asks her who she is, and she tells him he's not supposed to be there. Henry says he knows, and moves towards the bed, telling her that he thought Pan might be keeping his family there. He asks why she's so far away from the camp, and the girl tells him she's sick, and Pan's afraid someone might catch it. Henry asks who she is, and she tells him her name is Wendy. "Wendy Darling?" Henry asks, deducing who she is, and she nods, confirming this. Henry moves around the frame of the bed and sits on it, next to her, introducing himself and asking what's wrong. Wendy tells him it's the island: its power is fading. She states that she's been there a long time, but for some reason, it's affecting her more than the others.

She then tells Henry he reminds her of someone she used to know that's like him... Henry asks who, and she tells him, "Baelfire," Henry asks if she knew him, and she says they were friends, a long time ago when he was just a little bit older than Henry is today. She explains to him that Baelfire saved her brothers from danger and would do anything for her family. She then coughs again, and Henry asks her if she's going to be okay. Wendy tells him he should go, and Henry thinks that maybe there's something he could do to help. Wendy insists that he go, because she doesn't want him to catch what she has, and Pan is already doing everything that he can. But she fears that the magic there is not enough. Henry says that there must be a way, and Wendy urges him to go before he too becomes ill. Henry leaves the bag on her bed and gets up but promises her that he'll come back for her. He leaves.

Once he's gone back to the compound, a familiar voice in the bedroom is heard saying, "Well done. I couldn't have played the part better myself." Wendy looks annoyed. She sits up on the bed and Pan makes himself appear, having come from his hiding place behind some curtains. "Oh, and that bit about dear Baelfire," he says, "Excellent job," Wendy says that she doesn't like lying to Henry, and Pan tells her not to think of it as lying, but rather as providing motivation. She asks what for, and he answers that it's for him to do what needs to be done, for all of them. He explains to her that Henry has the heart of the truest believer, and Pan needs to control that belief. Wendy asks him what he needs Henry to believe in. And the villain tells her: "Me." She looks down, and he says, "Now back to your cage."

By the shore of Neverland, Regina, and Rumpelstiltskin are waiting for a red-haired young woman to reappear, in a few moments she few appears with her head out of the water and hands them an object that will help to defeat Peter Pan. They thanked her as she thanks them as well as saying they need to find a girl named Wendy because of the few complications that have had arisen in Storybrooke, were quickly resolved if they find Wendy.

When they left the Joneses and the Charmings along with Neal Cassidy, everything was silent as they focused on their new goal that their accomplishing. They barely interacted, though when they interacted especially when they left the Echo Caves, the Dark One may have irritated Regina of her becoming a coward and telling her of her stupidest act by giving herself an infertility potion for all of one moment. While he is the most coward of them all, just look at his family for goodness sakes, nothing good has come off it, nothing and look where it has led him. After that Regina pulled out all of her rages into him, telling him that he should've said something about Peter Pan so she should've been helping him all the time, doing who knows what while she has better use of doing, helping. She didn't help much with the Charmings and the Joneses, other than helping to get a message to Henry or fighting with the Lost Boys which she secretly enjoyed, there was nothing else. Nothing else to be said or done. So, she was very irritated and glad to be of service. While the journey was quiet needless to say it was quite pleasant as well.

Emma leads the way for her and the two men who accompanied her to Dark Hollow, as they make their way back to meet the rest of the gang, and she looks annoyed. Neal moves in closer, apologizing and acknowledging that he screwed up, and Emma turns around and confirms that he did, they both did, they almost lost their shot at capturing the shadow because the two of them were fighting over a lighter. Hook points out the obvious, that they weren't fighting over the lighter. Emma knows this as well as she agreed with her husband and explain to them that all she cares about is saving Henry. Then they all resume walking.

Felicity, Mary Margaret, and David stand in wait by Tinker Bell's hideout, and the former fairy finally shows up, bringing with her freshly collected supplies. One sight at Felicity she hugged her and commented at her being free at last, happy for her. Then they were in conversation for a short time as Felicity explains about seeing her parents again and discovering new family, it was quite overwhelming for her and having her friend Tinkerbell by her side is already helping. As Tinkerbell hears everything out, especially the part of the Echo Caves where Felicity was telling secrets, she asks her if she could tell that things with her family are going to be alright. Tinkerbell in her optimistic state, tells her by the sounds of it, that everything will be alright despite the damage done at the Echo Caves. The tension between everyone there to what she feels now at the island, almost like sensing all the individuals that were there believes that the tension is dissipating and when that is gone, everyone will be stronger than before. That they will change as they all will learn something from being here at Neverland.

Then after they finish talking, Tinkerbell goes back to bring her walls up to protect herself as she then comments that she was wondering if she'd see them again, but starts to add that if they've come to talk her into helping them before they've found a way off the island... David interrupts her, saying they found one, or are about to. Tink says she's not sure she likes the sound of "about to". Mary Margaret jumps in, all cheerful, to point out that Emma went with Hook and Neal to collect Pan's shadow, and that's their way off the island. Tink says she's not lifting one finger until she sees some proof that they've succeeded. However, the three scavengers show up, and Neal holds up the sealed coconut and tells her it's all the proof she needs, before telling her that it's been a long time. Tink moves in towards him, smiling. "Bae? Is it you?" He confirms it but states that most people call him Neal now. Hook, slightly annoyed, interrupts the reunion by saying that they did it, and asking Tink if she's finally ready to do her part. The former fairy confirms this, with slight determination. The gang is off on their way then. However, Neal stops Emma, and she isn't up for a talk, but he tells her she's right, about Henry, he is all that matters.

While Henry tries to find his way back to Pan's compound, he is stopped by the latter's voice asking him, "Why so glum, chum?" Henry stops and turns around to find Pan sitting down next to him. The latter stands up and they move in closer, and Henry reminds him that he said he wasn't keeping any secrets, but he lied. Henry says that he found Wendy. Pan tells him he can explain, and Henry asks if she's dying, to which Pan tells him he's afraid she is, as much of the island, because the magic there is slipping away. He then says that he would have told Henry, but he didn't want him to have that weight on his shoulders, knowing that a young girl's life depends on him. "So, I'm the only one who can save magic?" Henry asks, and Pan confirms this. Henry is silent for a few seconds before asking how he can do it, and Pan tells him the question isn't "how" - it's "where". He tells Henry to follow him, which he does.

Pan takes Henry to a remote place in the island, a rocky cliff from which Skull Rock can be seen, in the far-off distance: an island unto itself, distanced from the rest of Neverland. Pan asks if he sees that, and Henry, always the wiser when it comes to fairytale elements, asks if that is Skull Rock, which Pan confirms, before saying that inside is where their salvation awaits, salvation that only the heart of the truest believer can bring. "Me?" Henry asks. Pan says that's right, but he won't lie to him, it won't be easy: it will require heroism and sacrifice. The only question is whether he's up to the task. Henry looks on over to Skull Rock, ponders about this, and says, "Yes." Pan grins as he finally got him at last, closer to where he is now than it was days ago. A wonderful victory, now it's only them two and time.


	24. Chapter 24: Moving Forward

**Chapter 24: Moving Forward**

 **AN: Surprise! New Chapter! Hi, readers I know I have posted this month's chapter already that you've read last week. This wasn't exactly what I had planned however I have figured out that this chapter needed to happen before the showdown with Pan begins as we are getting close to. I hope you enjoy it!**

After getting Tinkerbell, once their escape plan A is set in motion, the seven of them trekked through the Neverland forest, going to their next plan which is to find Henry before Pan can do any more unseen damage. Unknowingly Peter Pan is very close to getting to reach his immortality now that Henry believes in him. So as the seven trekked they were trying to get to Pan's current compound and hopefully find Henry there with Tinkerbell leading the way.

As they walked, Charming says that he's going to go ask Tink how close they are to Pan's compound as he doesn't want to be surprised by any Lost Boys on patrol. Snow says that that's a good idea, and as David moves to the front of the queue, Emma approaches her mother, commenting on her parents apparently buried the hatchet over the whole Dreamshade situation. Mary Margaret says that she doesn't know if it's buried, but the two of them have at least put it away for now; then with a certain look in her eyes, the blonde asks if Mary Margaret plans on staying on the island with David, and her mother tells her that the thought of leaving her kills her, but there's nothing they can do as if David leaves then he'll die. Emma then lashes out as she points out that her mother is just giving up, which surprises Snow, and the blonde continues in saying that family means being together, all of them. Mary Margaret exclaims that is exactly what Felicity had said and then questions her daughter's reaction and so her daughter tells her, "Maybe this is just you or Killian are rubbing off on me, but I don't believe that. I'm the rational one, not the optimistic one; however, if l learned anything ever since I've got my memories back is that there's always a way." The two are then distracted by the sounds of Killian and Charming drawing their swords, and we see that this is due to the rustling in the bushes up ahead. In addition, Tink draws a dagger, Emma whips out her cutlass, and Snow loads up her bow with an arrow, keeping it firmly at the mystery figure or figures. However, the group is relieved to see that it's merely Regina, followed by Gold, who comments that, if this is the others' idea of a rescue party, they go there right on time.

As weapons are put away, Mary Margaret asks what Rumple and Regina are doing there, and the latter says that they're on their way to save Henry also, except they have a chance. She gestures Pandora's Box in Gold's hands and explains that it can trap Pan for eternity simply by opening the lid. Annoyed, Neal huffs and pinches his nose, as his being around his father now makes him uncomfortable and as he does that Tinker Bell then chimes in, surprised to learn that Baelfire's father is the Dark One, and Neal confirms this, adding that Rumple isn't getting anywhere near Henry. "Bae..." Rumple tries, and Emma asks Neal what he's talking about. He then explains that there's a prophecy that says Henry will be his father's undoing, and that Rumple didn't come to Neverland to save him, he came there to kill him. This shocks the others, and Regina moves away from her new comrade. Rumple then said that everything he did was to protect Henry and rescue him from Pan, but Emma soon exclaims that "it all makes sense" and raises her sword to the Dark One. She points out that he left before they even made shore, and Mary Margaret, who loads her bow with an arrow again, adds that Gold wanted to get to Henry first. Charming and Hook draw their swords in succession, further realizing that Gold wanted to get Henry on his own so no one could stop him. "So, you could kill him, " Regina finishes. "It's not gonna happen," says Emma, all weapons now firmly pointed at Gold, "Not unless you go through all of us first."

"You're making a mistake," says Rumpelstiltskin I in Neverland, still with weapons pointed at him, "I don't care if the boy is destined to be my undoing, I won't hurt him." Regina sarcastically states that that sounds just like him, but Rumple ignores her, pointing out that without him, they shall fail, as he is the most powerful amongst them. Neal points out in turn that that's why they can't trust him, and Gold says that if he could give his son his dagger, then he would, but he can't. Neal then suggests that his father could hand over Pandora's Box, as he wouldn't have to trust him if he could stop him, and Rumple obliges with reluctance, slowly handing the box over to his son after hesitation. When the box switches hands, Neal assures his father that if he so much as lifts a finger to do magic then he will spend eternity inside. "Let's go," Emma says, and the rest of the group continue trekking through the jungle as they put away their respective weapons.

As Felicity watches this, she felt almost like an outsider, almost however as she watched this, she can see the problem, the clarity after Tinkerbell's words she has heard. She knows there is tension as she can see it however it wasn't this that came to find a solution. It wasn't the problem with the Dark One, Rumpelstiltskin, the problem was with everyone who has come to the island including her own parents. When they have all arrived here, everyone came here with no trust, and slowly only a little bit of trust was built upon them however that's the problem, nobody doesn't completely trust with one another. It was like watching from afar, a disaster waiting to happen and with everyone spilling their own darkest secrets from the Echo Caves has had reinforced that layer of trust. Yet here she is, watching and understanding where she belongs in this. Maybe she's the mediator.

Then curiosity killed the cat, as her thoughts leave her as she sees her papa staring at the Dark One, confused. So, he says, "how did you get away with it?" he questioned with the Dark One looking at him warily. "How are we learning this now instead at the Echo Cave? This is considered a dark secret and yet your son has told us and not you." He kept questioning, waiting impatiently for an answer like everyone else there, who are now interested in the conversation.

Rumpelstiltskin was quiet. In his average height, his head was hung down, trying to listen very little, trying to ignore it. There are things that can be put away that can be buried, sometimes they can hit you out of nowhere unexpectedly. This is a rare moment for him, the Dark One quiet, it is never where one the person shall encounter never less a whole group of them where a pirate, a savior, and their daughter, an ex-fairy, the heroes, and a villain who is redeeming itself are encountering this. This wouldn't happen if the pirate can be astute and perceptive when he needs to be. He is the Dark One feared by all for goodness sakes and yet this group now especially the pirate was pulling him into an unforgettable rage.

It wasn't that long when his rage was blown out of proportion.

After that, it was a long time when he calmed down again, as his magic now is getting to be more controlled when his rage started, and it fizzled out.

"It's almost like the reason why I've wanted to kill Miss Felicity Jones. Almost. While Henry is still a child and still has some innocence in him, he also knows things. He is a special lad I'll give you that however he still fears me in a personal matter. The seer told me; he would be my undoing. At first, I pondered what would have led me to what would be my undoing, I didn't know. Until we've learned that we would be coming here to Neverland, I left the ship trying to find a way to get rid of my father and to prepare myself for the inevitable." The Dark One said in shock, not knowing he was speaking of the truth, of the honesty that he didn't plan to say out loud.

It was at that moment that Felicity knew what she had to do. His confession, she can see his emotions raging on all around him after he was somewhat stable. She can see along the way in his confession, that he didn't plan to say everything of what he had said. She can see the astonished face of his features come up when he finished. It was pure.

"Everyone stop." She quietly said at first, no one paying attention. "Everyone Stop!" she then said louder finding her voice gathering everyone's attention. With everyone's eyes all on her, she muttered to herself an okay and continued. "Stop with whatever you're doing, whatever you're thinking, and listen to me!" She said firmly.

"We can't go on and pretend that it will settle down and pretend like it didn't happen. There's a problem here with almost everyone here, only Tinkerbell and I know what's going on. We can see the tension. You all have problems with one another that you can't completely trust with." She says then looks towards everyone, roaming around staring them into each of their eyes. "Except for the Dark One, as he can't exactly, be trusted however the rest of you need to learn to be entrusted with each other. When you all arrived here there was no trust amongst you all, maybe with your partner, your loved one, your confidant yes. Slowly you've learned to trust a little bit of each other, then the Echo Caves happened. There it was revealed things you never wanted to know that it made trusting each to be nonexistent. You all need to learn to be more honest with each other, stop holding back all your secrets, and stop doing what you think is right. You are at Neverland and it's changing all of you without noticing it. If we want to continue our journey to find and save Henry, then keep an open mind and trust each other as your lives depend on it. We can't have these kinds of problems no more, it must end now." She sighs, looking around and taking a breath. "Look I know that not all of you like each other, I'm not asking you to become friends if that's what you're thinking. All you need to do is trust and when all of this is over, you can go back. As of right now you need to let go of everything that's in the past or is happening now and lay all your energies to help Henry. To do that we must work together and forget everything so that we can be stronger and defeat Pan. Question is can you move forward?"

Silence ensued.

There were lots of thinking from the group.

First there was a weight which was the tension that wanted to stay there within the group like it was caused by a greater force that had remained with everyone to grow. If it weren't for Felicity's speech the tension would have created an explosion. A deadly explosion that Neverland would have created. If you have been forced to stay there for centuries as Felicity had, you would learn how to control your emotions and kept at it for a minimum. She knows the inner workings of the island, knows the secrets of Peter Pan, if one would know from an outsider's point of view, she can be viewed as a powerful person as she knew the information. Now the tension has completely dissipated. The weight has lifted off everyone's shoulders as they made their decisions. One by one they slowly nodded their heads. Then they all continue their trek through Neverland's jungle to get to Peter Pan's compound.

After a while later where moments in time expand like you were walking into a dream, things change, your perspective has changed. The journey continued with less talk, hearing their own footsteps with every crunch when someone breaks a twig of the branch, it was quiet almost silent. Somewhere along the way everything that was dark had has vanished and hope was restored. With this in mind Emma says to her husband that there must be a way for David to leave the island, but Killian assures her that there isn't, she slumps almost admitting defeat, at least she tried. Killian explains to Emma that the water that cured David connected him to the island and if he leaves, then the connection is broken, and the poison will kill him. Emma suggests that they take some of the water with them as that way her father can stay connected and stay alive in Storybrooke, and the pirate asks, "For how long?" He goes on to point out that once the water runs out, the Dreamshade will take David's life, but Rumple, who's behind Emma and Hook alongside Neal, overhears and chimes in by saying, "Unless there was another cure."

Snidely, Gold asks a shocked Emma if she's suddenly interested in what he has to say, reminding her that he's not to be trusted, and the blonde says that he isn't, but she'll take her chances. Gold then reminds Emma that he too was poisoned by Dreamshade by a trancelike pirate and yet he is alive. Emma says that she knows how he cured himself and that David would never be so selfish as to use a magic candle that takes another person's life. Rumple sarcastically commends the nobility, but says that the point is, after his near-death experience, he discovered much about the poison and believes he could create an elixir back in his shop. "What's your price?" questions Emma, and Gold says that it is quite the favor and that he would expect one of equal weight in return, but Neal refutes this. He approaches his father and tells him that, when they get back to Storybrooke, he will save David because it is the right thing to do, no deals, no favors. Neal then adds that in doing so, it would be his way saying that he's sorry, for stringing them along, for his believing that Henry was part of their family. Begrudged, Rumple agrees to this, saying that he'll do as his son asks, and Emma says that she'll go tell David.

She moves to catch up with the others but soon discovers that she doesn't have to, as Tinker Bell, Snow, Charming and Regina emerges from the plants, and the fairy announces that they've reached Pan's perimeter. "It's time," says Emma, "Tink will sneak us in the back as we planned, we'll grab Henry, in and out, simple." She then asks Neal if he's good with Pan-patrol, and the former Lost Boy pats his pouch and states that he's good to go. Rumple, who removes Hook's sword from its sheath, asks the pirate if he minds if he borrows it, reminding the others that he agreed to not using magic but he's not going to be walking into Pan's compound with nothing but his good looks. When Killian begins to speak against his sword being taken, David throws the pirate his own, saying that it's in case his good looks fail him. Hook thanks his mate, and, relieved to finally be in this situation, Emma states, "Let's get Henry." They begin to approach the Lost Boys' camp and are soon stationed around the perimeter, lying in wait. Rumple, who's with Regina and Neal, asks if he can at least use magic on the Lost Boys, but his son won't allow it, leading Regina to state that she'll do it. The Dark One asks her if she remembers the spell, and she replies only with a snide look, before waving her hand and causing blue light to emanate through the teenagers, which makes them all drop to the ground unconscious.

Regina and Gold then emerge from the bushes on one side of a tree, whereas Neal emerges from the other side, and soon enough, Mary Margaret, David, Emma, Felicity, Tink and Hook have come out of hiding also. Neal, who's holding Pandora's Box, asks where Pan is, and Emma says that she doesn't know, proceeding to call out for Henry. David says that he must be somewhere, and Snow, who's searching like the others, asks where. "Help!" a young girl is heard exclaiming, and upon hearing this, Emma runs to the source of the noise: Wendy, who's in an isolated part of the camp, locked up in a bamboo crate. The blonde approaches the girl, crouching down in front of the cage she's confined to, and Wendy is extremely astonished to be in the presence of an adult on Neverland. Emma introduces herself, saying that she's looking for her son, and Neal soon arrives, having followed on from Emma, and is shocked to see Wendy.

As Rumple too follows on, Neal utters Wendy's name and the little girl asks him if she knows him. "It's Baelfire," he says smiling, and Emma, who stands up, is surprised that the two of them know each other, and Wendy is heavily gladdened to see Bae again. He then crouches down in front of the cage and she asks if it can really be him, and he confirms this before grabbing a large rock from the ground and beginning to bash the cage with it, attempting to open it. The door soon breaks, and Wendy is free, and immediately she hugs Baelfire, her old friend, saying that she thought she'd never see him again. He asks her what she's doing on the island, and Wendy explains that she came back to save him; Bae is touched that she'd do that for him, and the girl goes on to say that she couldn't bear for him to be without a family, not after he told her that his mother and father were both dead. "You told her I was dead?" Rumple asks, appearing hurt, to which Neal points out that it's easier than telling her the truth: his own father abandoned him. This launches Rumple into deep thought.

While they brought Wendy in the middle of the compound, she then launches from being walked down from Neal as she hugs Felicity, as the two friends reunited and silently chatted for a few minutes of what has happened from the past couple of days. It wasn't much to say when Felicity said that Pan kidnapped her though she's back with her family along with new ones. Then she went to business, now talking out loud explaining that she has a brother and that almost everyone here cares about him and is trying to save him.

Emma then asks the girl if she's heard anything regarding the heart of the truest believer, and instead of Wendy giving her an answer, Felicity then gasps and muttered a silent bloody freaking hell. Everybody then turns their eyes to her as Felicity then gets her duplicated parchment of a sketch that Pan was given many centuries ago. She unfolds the parchment, gives it to her parents as they look at it, and gave it around the group as she explains. "I always thought, pondered why Pan wants Henry. Many centuries ago, I've found this at Pan's place and decided to make a copy of it, so I can keep it. I wanted to know why he needed Henry, for many years I've been trying to figure it out. I've found out that at Skull Rock there's a giant hourglass depicting the magic that's here at Neverland ever since Pan came here, inside the hourglass the sand represents the magic that has been used here for all the years, that has been used by Pan. Before you all arrived, I went back to check on it and see how long until there is no magic left. It's close, very close for all of Neverland and Peter Pan to have no magic." She stops allowing them to sink in of what she just said about the hourglass before she continues before she tells them more gut-wrenching information." Peter Pan is power-hungry and wants to gain immortality and to do so he must get the heart of the truest believer. In this case, he wants Henry's heart, and well it's a trade for trade, once he gets his heart Henry will die while he gets to be immortal. This is also the reason why he's been finding boys ever since he arrived here, he was trying to find the boy in the sketch, so that he can save himself."

First there was silence.

Second, there was anger.

Third, there was a shock.

"Wendy, where are they? Where are Pan and my brother?" Felicity asked knowing that they are not here.

She was silent at first, then said sorry as she had help Pan, and so she explains that he's been keeping her brothers, John, and Michael alive, only if she does what he says. Rumple tells the girl to trust him and that whatever Pan has promised her, he will go back on his word. Wendy asks why she should trust a man who abandoned his own son, and Regina points out that her brothers did: they trusted a woman named Belle and helped her get a magical item so that they may defeat Pan. Wendy is relieved that her brothers are okay, and Gold adds, "For now. And only if we succeed." Neal crouches down before his childhood friend yet again and utters her name, promising her that they will save John and Michael, but right now, they really need her help. After pondering this for a short amount of time, Wendy begins explaining that Pan told Henry he needs his heart to save magic... but it was a lie; Pan really needs the heart to save himself as Felicity already said, signifying the confirmation of what Felicity said is indeed true. "What Felicity said is true, Pan's dying and needs the heart of the truest believer to absorb all the magic in Neverland, and once he does, he will be immortal and all-powerful." Wendy said almost echoing the words of what her friend and sister said.

David asks Wendy how they can stop the demon child, and the girl informs them that Pan took Henry to Skull Rock, but they haven't got much time. David suggests staying behind as someone needs to guard the Lost Boys when they wake up, but Emma tells him that he doesn't have to. Mary Margaret tells her daughter that David's right and instructs the blonde to get Henry home and tell him his grandparents love him. Emma then tells her parents to tell him themselves when they get back from Dead Man's Peak, as Gold can cure David back in Storybrooke, but they need to take some of the magic water with them to sustain him in the meantime. At this, Mary Margaret hugs her daughter as David thankfully holds the blonde's hands. "You didn't give up," Mary Margaret happily says in her daughter's ear, before turning to Gold and thanking him. Rumple says that that's apparently all the thanks he needs these days, referencing the fact that he offered to grant this favor free of charge, and as Neal inspects Pandora's Box, Hook tells the others that he and Tink will keep an eye on the unconscious Lost Boys at the camp however Felicity intervenes and tells her papa that she can do that while he goes with mama, Regina, and Mr. Gold to save Henry; he relents and then instructs her them to head back to the Jolly Roger once they found Henry. They agreed while Killian then tells his daughter where to find the Jolly Roger, giving her instructions before he says goodbye. While Snow tells Emma to promise her that if she and David don't make it back, then she gets Henry home, but Emma assures her mother that they're all going back home together. David kisses his daughter on the forehead before leaving with his wife and heading for the mountain, whilst Emma, Regina, Killian, and Gold begin making their way to Skull Rock.

As they all leave, they all realized what they have now is strength. Once they only trusted one person, now they are entrusting each other, agreeing with their plan for once. As they all learned the real danger that is happening between Peter Pan and Henry, they got together and as a result are now stronger and ready for what's to come. Now that they have moved forward instead of wallowing in the past and the current thoughts.


	25. Chapter 25: Saving Henry

**Chapter 25: Saving Henry**

As they all have moved forward, everybody there is on edge for fear of what's going on with Henry, they all hope that he will be found in time. All of them at least are trying to find hope in the darkness. Trying to find faith for Regina, Emma, Killian, and the Dark One as they approach into the rowboat and head to Skull Rock. The questions, the worries of everyone before they left came uprooted into their minds fearful for what the four will come into contact once they arrive at Skull Rock.

Rumple, Killian, Emma, and Regina are sitting in a rowing boat as they make their way to Skull Rock, which they stare in awe. Killian and Emma, who are working the oars, as Rumple and Regina opposed to helping the one-handed pirate finds it ludicrous to do such a thing continues rowing and steers them in the direction of the giant skull's mouth.

Upstairs, in the main part of the cave, the walls of which have skulls carved all over them, Pan and Henry are seen entering, and the former remarks, "This is it. The place you're going to save magic." Henry asks why it has to be there, and Pan explains that this is the location from which Neverland's magic emanates. The two of them then approach a giant hourglass, the base of which is configured from golden skulls, and Henry asks what it's for. Pan explains that it marks how much time they have left before Neverland's magic runs out, and Henry points out that it's almost empty, the golden sand having nearly completely vacated the top section. Suddenly, Pan feels a disturbance exterior to himself, and Henry asks the demon child if something's wrong. Pan, who smiles calmly, answers negatively and tells Henry to come with him. The two boys begin walking away from the hourglass and into another section of the cave, and Pan tells Henry that there's something he needs to take care of before they can get started. Henry sits down and nods, and Pan begins making his way elsewhere.

Soon, after the rowboat has docked, the four rescuers are seen stepping off and Emma notices footprints in the ground, announcing that they're the marks from Henry's shoes. She comments that Wendy was right and Pan and Henry are in the cave; she uses her magic before making her way up the stairs however as soon she did her magic, she found that freaking Peter Pan put on a protection spell. She quickly told the group about the protection. Regina states that there must be a way to break it, so she casts a fireball in her hand and throws it at the invisible, magical wall, but when she does so, the spell causes the fire to rebound, and the four of them duck. Rumple says that she can try all she wants but Pan's magic is too powerful... "At least for you."

The Dark One then simply passes through the barrier and onto the steps, and the others ask how he did it; Rumple explains that the spell is designed to keep anyone who casts a shadow from entering, and everyone there realizes that he doesn't have one. Rumple says that Pan knows it, which is why he cast the spell that he did. He adds that it isn't about keeping them out, it's about drawing him in, as Pan knows he won't give up the chance to finish what he came there to do. "You did come here to help and save Henry... good to know that you weren't lying" Emma realizes, and Rumple tells her now it's time to give Pandora's box to him so that he can finally destroy his father or at least lock him up for good. Emma begins passing over the box, however, Regina snatches it out of her hand. She approaches Gold and tells him that he better come through, or she'll make whatever Pan has planned for him to look like a child's play. She asks if he understands, and Gold, who reaches through and takes Pandora's Box away from her, tells Regina that a simple "good luck" would have sufficed. He then heads up the stairs, ready to confront Pan.

Emma, Killian, and Regina are still waiting at the entrance to Skull Rock, and the latter asks what they're supposed to do now. They all look around thinking what they could do or rather as Killian looks at his wife and Regina, thinking that maybe they could do something with their magic but what can they do is the question while as he thinks this Emma, who's staring intently up at the sky, says, "The moon," and the others, who look up at it also, wonder what she means. Emma goes on to say that the moon is what casts their shadows and asks if there's a way to block it out using magic. Killian asks if she's suggesting causing an eclipse, and wonders if it's even possible, and Regina says that maybe it is. "I need help," she adds, still looking up at the moon, and a shocked Emma replies, "Why?" and Regina tells the blonde that it requires a lot of magic. "Follow my lead," the Queen instructs Emma, and the pair of them slowly raise their hands to the moon. Killian, who's been standing up looking at the two, okay he was staring at his wife Emma, continues to watch especially when they combine magic and its effect. The result: a purple light emanates from both their hands, as the shadow begins casting over the full moon.

As Rumple is ascending the stairs with Pandora's Box, he then puts the box in his other hand and uses his free one to dig into his inside pockets, taking out the straw doll given to him by his father.

Peter Pan stands within Skull Rock as his son Rumpelstiltskin approaches slowly from behind. Hearing footsteps, Pan turns around, and greets Rumple with, "Hello, laddy." He then notices that he has "come bearing gifts", referring to Pandora's Box in his hand. Rumple stoically demands to know where Henry is, trying to find him first before opening the lid of Pandora's Box as he moves around carefully around his father. Malcolm as Peter Pan asks why he told the group the truth about him as much as Rumpelstiltskin didn't want to, and Rumple tells his father that he was being cautious around the Joneses and then Malcolm points that he's a coward as Rumple brings that back to his father as the day that he left him and viewed him at that ever since. Pan points out why hasn't he opened it, why shouldn't he'd already been in the box in Rumple's hand, and the Dark One asks if the demon man child thinks he can't do it, wondering if he let him inside just to taunt him. Pan refutes this, saying he merely wanted to see his son again and give him one, last chance: "Stay with me. Let this go. Let's start over." Rumple asks if Pan thinks he wants to be with him; that he could ever forgive him after he abandoned him, and Pan tells his son that he's disappointed, as after all these years he thought he'd be more... understanding, considering he did the same thing to his son, having traded Baelfire for the power of a dagger, whereas Pan traded Rumple for youth. He says they're a lot more alike than Rumple cares to admit, but the Dark One vehemently assures his father that they are nothing alike. "Of course, we are. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Neither one of us was cut out to be a father, m'boy." Rumple points out the key difference in their fatherhood days: he regretted leaving his son the moment he let him go through the portal and spent his life trying to find him and get him back, whereas his father simply forgot about him.

Pan exclaims that he never forgot about Rumple and asks why he thinks he calls himself "Peter Pan." Rumple tells his father not to believe that he thinks for a moment it's because he cares for him, but Pan assures him that he does. He tells Rumple that all he must do is put down that box, and he'll see it's true; they can make the fresh start he always wanted... together. Just as they planned. Rumple then says that he is going to make a fresh start, just not with Pan, and he proceeds to wave his hand over Pandora's Box in an attempt at opening it with magic. This fails, and the box does nothing. Pan smiles as Rumple again attempts to open it, but again, nothing happens. He looks up at Pan and says that he doesn't understand, and the demon child reveals that Rumple doesn't have it, before holding up the real box, which is in his hand. Rumple realizes that his father switched them, and Pan reminds his son of is "Find the Lady" skills. He accuses Rumple of still having trouble believing, and reminds him that in Neverland, all one must do is think of something to have it; even something fake, referring to the Pandora's Box replica in Rumple's hand. "But the real one," Pan says, holding up the actual box, "Let's see what it can do." He proceeds to wave his hand over it which lights up the jewel on the top, releasing a red vapor which envelops Rumple. Pan apologizes to his son but reminds him that he had his chance and the choice was his, and soon enough, the red vapor is drawn back into the box, taking Rumple with it. Pandora's Box then returns to its normal state, with the Dark One trapped inside, and Pan smiles victoriously.

Henry is staring up at the giant hourglass in Skull Rock whilst Pan emerges from one of the lower levels, Pandora's Box still in his hand. He sets the box containing his son down on a rock and turns to Henry, telling him that it's time to save magic, and Neverland. Henry asks Pan what it is he must do, and the demon man child tells the boy that he must give him his heart - the heart of the truest believer. "You mean... I have to believe?" Henry asks, confused, but Pan corrects him, saying he must literally hand over his heart. This leads Henry to question what will happen to him, and Pan assures him that he'll become the greatest of all heroes. "You could tell me the truth," says Henry, "I know all magic comes with a price. Saving it must come with a price, too." Pan assures Henry that he would never lie to him but says that he's right: there is a price. He pauses but soon lies to him that once he saves magic, he'll have to stay with him on the island, and Neverland will become his new home. He goes on to say that he knows it's a huge sacrifice but asks Henry if it's not worth it.

This leads Henry to state that heroes must make sacrifices all the time, something which his family taught him, and Pan points out that they would be proud if they could see him now as he's about to save them all. They look up at the hourglass, which is very nearly empty, and Pan asks Henry if he's ready. "Yes," says Henry hesitantly, and Pan then offers to "help" the child. He grabs Henry's hand and waves his own over it, enchanting it. Henry stares down at his now enchanted hand and plunges it into his chest, something of which he is now capable, and right before the child rips out his heart, which glows golden and green, his three parents are seen to be rapidly approaching and arrive just in time to see him do it. Henry, who's holding his own heart in his hand, is called out not to do whatever Pan's telling him to do by all of his parents. "It's a pleasure to see you too, Captain," Pan sarcastically snaps, annoyed, "Not to mention your wife, the savior along with the Evil Queen." Emma then tells her son that he needs to get away from Pan now as he's trying to hurt him, but Henry compelled with Peter Pan's magic, his belief in him suddenly finds himself refutes this, saying that the heart of the truest believer is going to save magic, as well as all of them.

Regina assures her son that that's not true and that this was never about magic; she begs that he believe them and goes on to state that the only thing Pan's interested in saving is himself. "That's not true!" Henry exclaims believing in Pan's lies, and Pan assures the child of this. Killian continues to try and convince Henry otherwise, telling him the truth that Pan can't live without him dying and that if he gives him his heart, it's going to kill him. Pan tells Henry that his family are trying to prevent his belief and tells him not to let them; "Remember, every hero gets tested."

Emma, Regina, and Killian appear hopeless, and the former tells Henry that she knows what being a hero is like, and this isn't it. The kid then asks Pan why his parents would lie, and the demon man child says that that's what adults do and that Henry should know that better than anyone. "Henry," Regina begs, "You have to believe us."

Then Emma and Killian talk to Henry, as one of their last attempts to not do the unthinkable, by allowing himself to die. "Henry we would never lie to you. Why would we lie to you, Henry?" Emma says then Killian included, "You have to believe us, Henry. You are our son, a Jones, and a Mills. We do believe in you; however, this is not the way to do it, lad. Besides, you still have to meet your older sister, Felicity." He said hoping that what they all said would be enough.

Henry listens and deep down inside of him, where his core being, his soul is, he listens to them, to his parents as he now ensues of the internal fight inside that he's going through. He is trying to fight Peter Pan who is inside his head to do what he said however the rational part of him, the intelligence that he has known something is wrong and tries to push him, Pan out of his head. But Pan tells the child that his parents don't care about Neverland; they know that if he gives his heart to save it then he'll have to stay and are being selfish because they don't want to lose him. "Henry, you have to trust us," Emma pleads, but Pan reminds the boy that he's the only one who's ever been honest with him; the only one who ever believed in him. "This is your choice, not theirs," he assures him, looking up at the almost empty hourglass and telling him that he has to choose now as they're running out of time.

"We love you," Emma adds. "More than anything," Regina adds further. "I love you too," Henry assures them, finding himself obeying Pan's voice inside his head and finds he had said that he loves them too and in which gladdens them however Pan has won as he found himself saying, "But I have to save magic." And with that, Henry takes his heart and plunges it into Pan's chest. This then causes a burst of green energy to ensue from the demon man child, which knocks Emma, Killian, and Regina off their feet. Henry too collapses, and we see that the green pulse has spread all across the island. Felicity and Tinker Bell, who are tying up Lost Boys back at Pan's compound, are hit by it, as are David and Mary Margaret, who are trekking up Dead Man's Peak in search of magic water. David grabs his wife's hand, the two of them confused as to what just happened. Back in Skull Rock, Henry lies unconscious on the ground, and Pan smiles, his new source of magic allowing him to hover above the ground. Emma exclaims her son's name and runs to him along with Regina and Killian. The three of them try to wake their son but are unable to, and Pan's smile grows wider as he flies higher into the air. As he does so, he looks down at the three parents and their possibly deceased child, pulsing with an almighty supply of magic.

Henry lies on the floor with his eyes closed, not responding as Emma, Regina, and Killian attempt to wake him up. As Pan lands on the ground, Emma angrily asks what he did to Henry, but the "boy" says it was all Henry as he offered his heart with his own free will. Emma draws her sword, stating she'll take it back, but when she lunges forward Pan suddenly vanishes, reappearing behind her. He grabs Pandora's Box from a rock. He tells Emma that he doesn't think she has it in her to kill him...just like Rumpelstiltskin didn't. Emma and Killian question where Rumple is, so Pan explains that he's in the box he's holding. Pan tells the group that unfortunately for them, Rumple can't hurt him anymore...and neither can they. "Really?" Emma asks as she jumps forward, cutting his arm. She asks him how it felt, so he tells her it was like a tickle. Pan then uses his magic to fly away, evacuating Skull Rock. Once he's gone, Emma asks Regina how Henry is doing. She doesn't respond. Emma then rushes to Henry's aid as Regina promises her son that he'll be all right and they'll get him home.

Regina casts a preservation spell over Henry's unconscious body, explaining that it'll keep him in his current state for a while longer, giving them a chance to get to Pan. Emma asks Killian if he has any idea where Pan went. Killian says he knows where he lived, but Regina points out that they all know that. She asks if he thinks Pan is stupid enough to go back. There was no response before Emma tells Regina that's enough, but the queen tells Emma not to say what's enough as her son is dying. Emma points out that he's their son, so she knows how she feels. Regina angrily states that she has no idea how she feels, pointing out that Emma has her parents, a pirate as a husband, a daughter, basically a family. She tells Emma that she has everything, so she can't possibly know how she feels...since all she has is Henry, stating he is everything. Emma kneels to Regina and tells her she's right about not knowing how she feels. She then asks her what they should do to save Henry. Regina simply says she doesn't know. Killian points out that Pan was powerful enough before and now with Henry's heart, he's not sure that they can hurt him. With that, Regina notices something on Emma's sword; blood. She points it out and explains that she was able to make him bleed. "We can hurt him" she begins, "And if we can hurt him, we can kill him," she says with an evil smile, "And we will."

On the main island of Neverland, Regina, Emma, Killian, and the unconscious Henry have regrouped with everyone else and they've just explained what has happened. A worried Snow points out that if Gold is in a box then David can never leave the island. Charming points out that he's made peace with that and it doesn't matter, stating that all that matters now is Henry. He asks Regina how much time they have, so she explains that the preservation spell will wear off within an hour. Neal points out that if Pan is airborne then he could be anywhere, causing Hook to state they should start looking. With that, Regina storms towards the Lost Boys, who were sat waiting with Wendy, and she angrily demands to know where Pan is. She grabs Felix by his shirt while he mockingly tells her that Pan is gone and there's nothing she can do. He adds that Pan has already won - and he never fails. A furious Regina threatens that if he won't talk then she'll make him talk. As she raises her hand to cast a spell, she's grabbed by Emma, who asks her to wait. Regina says there's no time, but Emma explains that torture isn't there best to move here. She tells Regina to look at the kids, stating they've been to hell and back. As Regina looks at the sad-looking kids, Emma says they need to try something else. Regina points out that they don't respond to reason before asking what else she has to offer. Emma looks at Snow as she tells Regina "What every kid wants...a mother."

Henry remains unconscious as Killian sits beside him, worried. Meanwhile, Emma is with the Lost Boys. She assures them that they won't hurt them before telling them they're making a terrible mistake being loyal to Pan. She explains that for a long time she was an orphan and never thought she'd find her family, just like all of them. She continues to say that today she was reminded she's not alone and she has a lot of people that love her. She tells that to the Lost Boys that if that can happen to her then it can happen to them. Felix comments that Pan is the only family they need, but Emma explains that family doesn't do what he did - lying and convincing them to do terrible things. She adds that he lied to Henry and convinced him to give up his own heart. A young lost boy explains that it was to save the island, but Emma says it was to save himself. Felix tells the Lost Boys not to listen to Emma, assuring them that Pan cares about them. Emma insists he doesn't, but they do, adding that they can save them and take them home with them.

Emma says there's no reason to fear Pan any more, because until he absorbs the power from Henry's heart then he can be stopped. Snow timidly tells the Lost Boys that all they have to do is tell them where Pan is. An angry Felix stands, demanding they leave while Pan allows them to breathe, however, Killian sits him back down using his hook reminding the boy who he is as Captain Hook. Emma asks Felix where Pan is, but he simply says he's not telling. Thinking all hope is lost, Emma looks saddened for a moment...until a young Lost Boy asks if they can take them home. Worried he'll betray Pan; Felix tells him to shut up. Emma ignores Felix and assures the young boy they can, causing him to reveal that he's at his Thinking Tree. A furious Felix roars with anger, demanding they stop. Another Lost Boy confirms that he's at his Thinking Tree, infuriating Felix even more. They explain that the tree is where he goes to be alone and it isn't far. Emma asks if they can tell her where it is, so the young boy confirms that he can...but only if she promises to take them with her. Emma leans close to the boys, and with genuine sympathy for them, assures them all that they're going to go home.

An unconscious Henry is laid on the ground as Wendy places a wet cloth onto his forehead. Meanwhile, Regina, who is talking to the Lost Boys, confirms with one of the boys if Pan is in the Pixie Woods. The boy explains that it's just north of them and it's where the pixie dust used to grow. Emma asks Hook if he knows where that is. He tells her he does, explaining that the whole area is deserted now and nobody, but Pan has stepped foot into the woods for centuries. Neal comments that they should make history, but Emma orders him to wait here because when they get Henry's heart back, they're going to need help on both ends. Charming asks what they need from him and Snow, so Neal says they're going to get the Lost Boys on the Jolly Roger where Felicity is at and get ready to fly home. Hook comments on wishing that he wouldn't have burnt the Pegasus sail and would've used that method instead of that bloody shadow that will be on his ship, on his mainsail to be precise. Killian then assures Emma that nothing will happen to Henry when she and Regina are away, but Snow interrupts, claiming that since she's trapped on Neverland for eternity, she's going to spend her last moments with her daughter. "Okay, let's do it," Emma tells her mother before preparing to leave.

Regina, Emma, and Snow are trekking through the jungle until they eventually come to a clearing. Noticing Pandora's Box sitting on a rock, Regina stops the group and tells them to look. They cautiously approach it, and when nothing happens, Snow steps forward to grab it. Regina warns her to be careful as Pan wouldn't have just left it for no reason. Snow tells her old foe that it's David's only way home and without Gold, they're stuck here. She goes to grab the box, but a vine from a tree behind them wraps around her and ties her up. Emma and Regina are soon grabbed too, and the three women find themselves tied to a tree. "Are you still at it?" Pan taunts them as he appears from behind the tree, adding them Peter Pan never fails. He explains that he didn't expect them to find him, but supposes since they're mothers, they're quite tenacious about their offspring, "Believe it or not, I understand that," he adds. He then tells them that if they're hoping to see Henry again, there's only one place they'll be reunited...and that's in death. An angry Regina tries to reach forward for Pan, but she can't break through the vines.

Pan taunts Regina, Emma, and Snow, who is still tied to the tree, asking if they're having trouble moving. He explains that it's no surprise given where they are, telling them it's their regret that holds them back. Emma asks what he's talking about, so he tells them the tree is the site of a very important event for him, where he abandoned up his boy. Emma then asks if he regretted it, losing him, but Pan proudly says he doesn't. He picks up Pandora's Box and explains he's got his son "all boxed up" so he doesn't lose him again. A realization came through Snow as she figured out where the not so friendly foe is locked in the Pandora's box, in the minds of Emma and Regina they thought that somehow the Dark One Rumpelstiltskin didn't trap Peter Pan aka his father as he was planning to do, and yet somehow something went wrong, and they didn't know what had happened when those two were confronted. While Snow has concocted an impromptu plan. A bewildered Snow questions how it's possible because he's younger than the Dark One, but Pan points out the age difference between her and Emma. Regina calls Pan a fraud, stating his magic has weakened and he can't even hurt them, let alone Rumple. Pan says she's right but goes on to explain the tree will protect him until his power is restored and then he'll get to have some "fun", hinting the death of everyone.

The three women attempt to break from the vines, but they only tighten, causing Emma to find another way. Pan tells her she won't get to him as the tree attacks the regret inside anyone that comes near it, claiming Emma has plenty. She questions him if the regrets count when you were cursed when she couldn't remember anything. She wasn't exactly herself, and if she did remember she could've taken care of Henry. Then Pan states even with Henry's heart inside of him, he can tell that he can feel the times where she let him down. Pan said with a little bit of lying, knowing that the brat of him, of Henry, has forgiven his birth mother. Although that hurt Emma, she can feel the tightening of the vines on herself begin to loosen up, slowly. Apparently, the tree of regrets doesn't count when one is cursed.

Snow demands he leaves her daughter alone, so he does just that, moving onto her. He states that Emma had no chance at being a good mother after the example Snow set, abandoning her for twenty-eight years. "Are you finished?" Regina scoffs, causing him to move on to her and say she has the most to regret of all. "Yeah, there's one problem with that. I did cast a curse that devastated an entire population, I have tortured and murdered, I've done some terrible things. I should be overflowing with regret, but, I'm not..." she tells him before breaking the vines off with ease, releasing all the women, "Because it got me my son" she finishes before plunging her hand into the chest of a shocked Pan, ripping out Henry's heart. Once removed, a weak Pan drops to the floor and tries to reach for Pandora's Box, however, Regina grabs that too. "Now...let's go save Henry," she says, holding the two objects with a triumphant smile.

Once she saw and felt the green pulse of magic, Felicity Jones knew something went wrong as she felt something turning in her heart, like something was missing. She knew something bad happened to Henry. It wasn't until when they brought Henry's unconscious pale body to the Jolly Roger when she realized that Pan is immortal and is gone. She felt like a stone like she couldn't breathe as she hears from her papa as he explained what had happened and what is happening now.

Aboard the Jolly Roger, a tied-up Felix is placed onto the ship among with the other Lost Boys as everyone prepares for their trip home. After having retrieved her son's heart, Emma gets on the ship and asks for Henry. Killian points him out with Felicity behind him as Emma rushes over to him with Regina. Regina tells her son to hold on before placing his heart back into his chest. After a moment of everyone watching him tentatively, they notice he isn't waking up. Emma and Regina grow concerned, but they become relieved when he suddenly wakens.

Everyone all smiles with relief once Henry has awakened. Henry then gets a hug from his adoptive mother first then his mom, Emma, and then his dad. Instantly Henry apologizes, explaining he wanted to save magic and be a hero, but they assure him it's fine and now it's time to rest. Killian then welcomes his son, Henry to his ship and offers him the captain's quarters to rest in. Henry in his excited state didn't realize where he was until he looked around. Then near his parents, he sees a girl much older than him, she had slightly curly hair of which is dark brown with incredible blue-green eyes and notices she was crying out of relief. She seemed to be nervous as she got nearer to him and once, she did, he took in her appearance and suddenly he remembers when his dad said that he has an older sister. Is this his sister? Is this her? Is this Felicity?

As Felicity saw Henry waking up, she didn't realize that she was holding her breath. She looks at him and she doesn't know what to do as he apologizes and received hugs from all of his parents. She kept looking realizing that she needs to do something, like meeting her brother for the first time and it was then that she knew she needs to move closer to him and officially meet him. It was also in that moment when she realized that was crying, that suddenly when he had awoken all the fears and worries that she had were all gone. Suddenly she was right there in front of Henry and she smiled.

"It's finally a pleasure to meet you Henry. I'm your sister, Felicity." She said and instead of hello from her brother, he surprises her with a hug and immediately she returns it and feels like she could and would cry again. Then Henry breaks her heart more as he says, "it's nice to meet you too, sis."

Behind them were Emma and Killian with her parents, Snow White and David, and Regina who were looking at them seeing the scene as Henry and Felicity meet for the first time as brother and sister. It was such a bittersweet scene that Snow nearly cries, that even Regina felt she could cry, that the proud parents were happy to see them together. For Emma at this moment, her heart feels whole for the first time in a long time. She felt the happiness that was lost is now back as she feels complete, as she sees her family is complete. She then felt Killian's arm around her waist as he looks at her eyes, full of love, and in her deliriousness of happiness, she kisses him a chaste kiss. He then kisses her forehead as she found herself leaning in, her head near his chest, feeling bliss. At this moment she now knows for a certainty that she won't ever forget this. That this memory is now an important one and one she won't ever forget.

Then Henry yawns and everything was broken back into reality. Regina smiles at her son and tells him she'll tuck him in.

Below the decks of the Jolly Roger, a weak Henry is resting in bed as Regina sits beside him. "Oh, I know that look, that's five hours of Space Paranoids and too much pizza," she teases him. Henry comments that pizza's good, making Regina smile. She then without warning raises her hand over his chest and a magic glow emits from her as she casts a spell. When she's done, he tells her it stung and asks what it was for. She explains that she cast a spell so nobody can ever take his heart ever again. Henry hugs Regina again as he thanks her, causing her to smile before kissing his forehead. She assures her "little prince" that they'll be home soon and then she leaves him alone to rest. Once she's gone, Henry sits up in his bed to get comfy. However, once he lays back down, he's shocked to see Peter Pan appear before him. The evil man child draws a knife and apologizes to Henry that it had to come to this.

On the top deck of the Jolly Roger, Neal activates Pandora's Box, causing it to emit a red powder. The red powder then sets, and Rumpelstiltskin appears out of it, freed. Snow, Charming, and Emma watched in awe as Neal embraces in a happy hug with his father. Rumple asks where Henry is, and Emma assures him that he's safe. Rumple tells his son he was never going to hurt the boy. The Dark One explains that it was because he didn't want Neal to think he was as bad of a father as Pan was because they're both the same for abandoning their sons. Neal tells him they're not the same as he came back for him; the two men hug again. After witnessing this, Emma turns to her parents, stating Rumple is back, which means Charming can be cured and they can go home as a family. The three embrace in a hug. Suddenly, Rumple senses something is wrong, causing Neal to ask what's wrong.

Below the decks, a scared Henry asks Pan what he's doing. As he holds a knife at him, he claims he wanted his heart, but his mother took it away from him and left him for dead. He reaches his hand towards Henry's chest in an attempt to pull out his heart, but a barrier blocks him. A frustrated Pan says that's clever and instead reaches for Henry's back. He starts ripping out the child's shadow, but he's stopped when Rumple appears behind him and tells his father blood magic works both ways. He opens up Pandora's Box and Pan begin to get sucked into it. However, before he is fully taken by it, he casts a spell that causes both his and Henry's eyes to glow. After it's done, a worried look suddenly comes across Pan's face. However, before he can say anything, he's sucked into Pandora's Box. Regina suddenly arrives and rushes to Henry's side. The boy assures her he's fine, so Rumple comments that he's a strong boy, adding that she raised him well. This comment touches Regina.

Back on the top deck, everyone on the Jolly Roger is now ready to go home. Snow lines up all the Lost Boys, preparing them for the journey as Neal holds the coconut containing the Shadow over a cannon. After asking if Regina is ready, Emma lights the cannon. Just before it fires, Neal opens the coconut, sending the shadow flying into the air from the blast. Regina then uses powerful green magic to hold the shadow before merging it with the sail, turning it black. Emma asks if she thinks it'll fly, so Regina explains it has no choice. The savior tells them to get the hell out of Neverland, so Killian eagerly obeys and prepares to sail the ship. The Jolly Roger begins sailing through the ocean, and then as it passes Skull Rock, it lifts off into the air, sailing through the clouds.

As they fly, Charming turns to his daughter and reminds her of what she said when they first arrived on the island; that they'd need to work together. He confesses that he didn't think a hero, villain, and pirate could be united, but they were because of the most important piece of the puzzle, a leader. He also mentions that Felicity also has some of the traits of being a leader, however, she is probably good as an acting mediator, keeping everyone in line as he sees her near with her dad, Killian at the helm. Emma seems uncomfortable with being seen as the leader, however proud of her daughter as she looks over to her husband and daughter, and then tells him she's just glad they were able to get Henry home safe and sound with her family including them. As Snow feeds the Lost Boys, she looks over to her husband and daughter and smiles.

Meanwhile, Wendy is stood on her own, watching the clouds down below her. Tinker Bell approaches her from behind and tells her it must be better than being in a cage. The young girl asks if they're free, Tinker Bell confirms they are, assuring her she'll soon see her brothers. She tells the fairy she has something for her, something she could never use, but perhaps she can. As she passes a small vial to Tink, she explains that it's Pixie Dust from the last flower on the treetops. Tink sadly explains that she can't make it work as she has no magic since losing her wings. Wendy tells her she'll figure it out, "I believe in you, Tink" she smiles at her, causing the fairy to smile back.

Since Felicity met her brother, for the longest time in her life, at that moment she wishes that she wished for every year on her birthday came true. She met her brother, she is an older sister, and nothing else in the world matters as she stands near with her papa who's at the helm, steering the wheel into the heavens. Up in the sky, it's almost like reaching for the stars, reaching for a wish waiting to come true, if they come true. While it's different from water to air, she can't help feeling the same way, as if she's flying, that there's still the freedom that's lingering is still there. Feeling the breeze of the wind makes her calm and relax. She decides to stay there for a while.

For a while, she stays there enjoying the feeling. When Rumpelstiltskin got out of Pandora's box, he immediately went to Henry below decks saying he sensed something was wrong. He didn't say anything of what happened below decks but she had a feeling, an older sister feeling that something is wrong.

At the back of the ship, Henry emerges from the lower decks, catching the attention of Neal, who asks if he should be resting, however, the boy doesn't respond and is ignoring him. Emma then sees Henry and catches to what he is doing near Neal; to which he doesn't respond to as he didn't answer him, suddenly now worrying about Henry. She then tries to offer him some food if he's feeling up for it, but the young boy explains he's feeling better now, and the fresh air is probably good for him. Emma follows him and then tells her son, as he goes to the helm towards his dad, that Killian wants to talk to him for a little bit. Killian then tells his son that he knows they haven't had much chance to be a family, but he wants him to remember his promise to him when Henry came on his ship while Emma was in the sleeping curse, to know he will always be there for him now and forever as the two then embrace a hug.

When Henry came out of the room and is back on deck, Felicity knew something is still wrong with him. She didn't think much of it, as the day was overwhelming and was thus tired, instead of informing her mama or Rumpelstiltskin she decided to chalk it up for the reason that she was seemingly sleepy. She decided that it was time to go to her room and sleep after she watches her father and brother hug each other.

Meanwhile, Tinker Bell approaches Regina, telling her she's happy she got her son back, commenting that it seems the Evil Queen was able to love someone after all. "Yes, it seems" Regina smiles before telling Tink it seems that she was right. The fairy tells the queen she knew she still had some good in her. After saying this, a magical sound emits from somewhere. Regina tells Tink she has some magic left in her, pointing out the glowing Pixie dust in her hand. However, the glowing doesn't last long. A puzzled Tink asks what happened, so Regina tells her for a moment she must have believed.

A short while later, Henry walks across the deck and picks up a plate of food, sitting next to Felix and offering it to him. The Lost Boy tells him to go away as he's not hungry. Henry explains he came to thank Felix, so the Lost Boy states that no matter what the other traitors do, he's on Pan's side, "And Pan..." he begins to say being cut off by Henry, who finishes the sentence with "never fails". Felix is confused, so Henry, in a sinister tone, repeats that Pan never fails and he can't be stopped, even when they think he's defeated. Felix asks him if he thinks he's safe, so he assures him that he is because during their struggle his fate was sealed. He explains that the one in trouble is Henry. "But you're Henry" Felix comments, causing "Henry" to explain that he isn't anymore. Felix gets a grin on his face, realizing they switched bodies. "Henry" holds out the food once more, and this time Felix takes it, thanking Pan. "Now...let's play," Henry tells his friend.


End file.
